You don’t have to be dumb for a park wildlife mishap

Social media is awash with “dumb park visitor” stories. Essentially, if you pull the tail of a cougar, kick a buffalo, mess with a moose, expect bad results. But here’s a story out of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. You don’t have to be dumb for a park wildlife mishap.

Grand Teton National Park wildlife mishap

On Sunday afternoon, May 19, Teton Interagency Dispatch got a report of a 35-year-old male visitor from Massachusetts who was seriously injured by a bear in the area of the Signal Mountain Summit Road. Grand Teton National Park rangers and Teton County Search and Rescue personnel responded to the scene. They ended up providing emergency medical care. The man was airlifted via helicopter, then to an ambulance, and taken to St. John’s Hospital. The patient is in stable condition and is expected to recover fully.

Not a “human bats at bear” situation

This was not a “stupid human bats at bear” situation. Based on initial reports from the injured visitor and preliminary information conducted as part of an ongoing investigation, law enforcement rangers and park biologists believe the incident was a surprise encounter with two grizzly bears, with one of the bears “contacting and injuring the visitor.”

The Signal Mountain Summit Road and Signal Mountain Trail are currently closed to all public entry.

If you’re hiking in bear country:

• Be alert and aware of your surroundings.
• Make noise, especially in areas with limited visibility or when sound is muffled (for example, when near streams or when it’s windy).
• Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and keep it readily accessible.
• Hike in groups of three or more people.
• Do not run. Back away slowly if you encounter a bear.

Don’t be frightened of the parks. Being prepared lessens your chances of a park wildlife mishap. For more bear safety advice, click here.

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