YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — A 29-year-old hiker was injured in Yellowstone National Park during a bear attack that is now under investigation. Officials said it is the first incident of a bear injuring a person in Yellowstone since May 2021.
The National Park Service said the male hiker was on the Turbid Lake Trail on Tuesday afternoon. According to the hiker, who was alone, he encountered the bear and deployed bear spray.
The hiker sustained significant, but non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and left arm, and was walked off the trail by National Park Service medics and taken to a hospital for treatment.
The hiker told investigators that he believed the bear to be a black bear. However, experts say the location, size, and behavior of the bear described suggest it might have been a grizzly bear. Staff will now be using DNA analysis to try to pin down what species of bear was involved.
The Turbid Lake Trail is closed until further notice.
The National Park Service says the incident appears to be a defensive reaction during a surprise encounter, meaning the park won't take any action against the bear.
