A 72-year-old man has been hospitalized after shooting and killing a grizzly bear that attacked him while picking huckleberries alone in a Montana forest.
The man suffered significant injuries and was hospitalized before the bear was shot dead, the wildlife agency said in a statement. It did not immediately respond to questions about the man's identity Sunday morning.
The incident occurred in the Flathead National Forest, about two miles north of Columbia Falls, in the town of 5,500 about four hours northwest of Montana's capital, Helena.
Dillon Tabish, a spokesman for the agency, told The Associated Press that wildlife workers set up cameras in the area to detect the cubs. Even if any are found, there is no guarantee that they will be caught, as it is difficult to find facilities that take in young grizzlies.
« Depending on the age, we can leave them in the wild because they have a better chance of survival than euthanizing them, » Tabish said.
Grizzly bears are protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 states. According to to Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
They are Montana's official animal and live mostly in the western part of the state, FWP said, but have increasingly roamed areas they haven't occupied in decades.
The agency said it shot and killed another grizzly bear on Thursday, after a month and a half of reports that it was conditioned to obtain unsafe food and break into homes in and around Gardiner, Mont.
Officials said residents and tourists should remember that « Montana is bear country » and that it's better to avoid bears than to handle them.
Bear attacks are rare, but if one crosses your path, running or climbing a tree isn't recommended, The Washington Post previously reported.
When traveling in groups and having bear spray handy are good ways to avoid collisions, the National Park Service says He says When attacked by a brown or grizzly bear, the best strategy is to play dead.
« Lie on your stomach with your hands behind your neck, » says the NPS. « Spread your legs to make it harder for the bear to turn on you. Remain calm until the bear leaves the area.
Fighting back usually escalates the attack, the NPS said, but if the bear persists, “Fight aggressively. Use your hand to hit the bear in the face.
When faced with a black bear, instead of playing dead, try to move slowly and sideways and try to escape, the NPS said. If escape is not possible, focus on the bear's face and muzzle and fight it.
