Current:Home > MarketsBlack bear euthanized after it attacks, injures child inside tent at Montana campground-InfoLens
Black bear euthanized after it attacks, injures child inside tent at Montana campground
View Date:2025-01-10 06:44:39
A girl was hospitalized after a black bear attacked and injured her while she was inside a tent at a private campground near Custer National Forest, Montana authorities say.
The child was inside a tent at a private campground south of Red Lodge when the subadult female black bear attacked the tent around 10 p.m. Sunday, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) said in a news release Tuesday. While authorities did not release the age or gender of the child, NBC Montana of Missoula reported the injured child was a 3-year-old girl, citing Chrissy Webb, a spokesperson for the FWP.
Game wardens and bear specialists with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks responded to the incident, evacuated the campground and set up traps and snares to capture the bear, the news release said.
The injured child, meanwhile, was transported to a medical facility in Billings. An update on their injuries and condition was not available and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update.
The bear was captured the next afternoon, Sunday Aug. 12, and was shot and euthanized, according to FWP.
'Unsecured attractants' found near campsite
"FWP found unsecured attractants, including garbage, a cooler, and human food, around and inside the tent where the attack occurred," the news release said, adding the the black bear involved in the incident had no history of conflicts.
However, FWP said it was likely the bear had become "food-conditioned and human-habituated after accessing unsecured attractants in the area."
The agency said on-site evidence matched the physical characteristics of the bear and the animal that was euthanized was the one involved in the attack.
What to do if you spot a bear
The National Park Service suggests keeping a few things in mind in case of an encounter:
- Talk in a low, steady voice and do not scream or otherwise act suddenly.
- Make yourself appear as large as possible.
- Travel in groups and pick up small children upon sighting a bear.
- If you encounter a bear in your own yard, do not leave the house. Ensure everyone is secure inside before banging pots or making other loud noises to scare the bear away.
- If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.
- It is also permissible to throw items and yell at the bear and fight back if attacked.
- Secure food, garbage and any other food items that are likely to attract bears.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (169)
Related
- Wind-whipped wildfire near Reno prompts evacuations but rain begins falling as crews arrive
- One-of-a-kind eclipse: Asteroid to pass in front of star Betelgeuse. Who will see it?
- Indiana secretary of state appeals ruling for US Senate candidate seeking GOP nod
- Every college football conference's biggest surprises and disappointments in 2023
- Kelly Rowland and Nelly Reunite for Iconic Performance of Dilemma 2 Decades Later
- Two men in Alabama riverfront brawl plead guilty to harassment; assault charges dropped
- Wisconsin university system reaches deal with Republicans that would scale back diversity positions
- Air Force grounds entire Osprey fleet after deadly crash in Japan
- Roster limits in college small sports put athletes on chopping block while coaches look for answers
- Sophie Turner Seals Peregrine Pearson Romance With a Kiss
Ranking
- Man Found Dead in Tanning Bed at Planet Fitness Gym After 3 Days
- André 3000's new instrumental album marks departure from OutKast rap roots: Life changes, life moves on
- Missouri House Democrat is kicked off committees after posting photo with alleged Holocaust denier
- Californian passes state bar exam at age 17 and is sworn in as an attorney
- How to protect your Social Security number from the Dark Web
- Derek Hough reveals his wife, Hayley Erbert, had emergency brain surgery after burst blood vessel
- Amazon asks federal judge to dismiss the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against the company
- Mexico raids and closes 31 pharmacies in Ensenada that were selling fentanyl-laced pills
Recommendation
-
Man charged with murder in fatal shooting of 2 workers at Chicago’s Navy Pier
-
Sophie Turner Seals Peregrine Pearson Romance With a Kiss
-
Europe reaches a deal on the world’s first comprehensive AI rules
-
AP PHOTOS: 2023 images show violence and vibrance in Latin America
-
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul VIP fight package costs a whopping $2M. Here's who bought it.
-
Sulfuric acid spills on Atlanta highway; 2 taken to hospital after containers overturn
-
New aid pledges for Ukraine fall to lowest levels since the start of the war, report says
-
Unhinged yet uplifting, 'Poor Things' is an un-family-friendly 'Barbie'