Not a good way to be "a first".

[Arctic Dave]

Grizzly bear kills Denali Park hiker

A grizzly bear attacked and killed a lone backpacker in Denali National Park and Preserve late Friday, the first fatal bear mauling in the park's recorded history, according to the National Park Service.

Midday Saturday, rangers, biologists and Alaska Wildlife Troopers were flying in helicopters and a plane to recover the hiker's body, warn others who might be in the area, and track down what the Park Service described as a "predatory grizzly."
"It's an extremely rare event, and it's not common that we even have injuries related to bears," said park spokeswoman Maureen McLaughlin. "So in terms of what triggered this, we do not know. It was an unwitnessed incident, but we'll see if there are any clues that the biologists can find as to why this took place."
Three other hikers, just out for the day, found a backpack Friday afternoon on a gravel bar on the Toklat River, about three miles from a rest area, the Park Service said. The hikers looked closer and saw evidence of a violent struggle: blood and torn clothes.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/08/25/2599545/hiker-killed-by-grizzly-bear-in.html#storylink=cpy


This bear was going to make this person a meal. Strange.

[MercutioATC]

1. "Predatory Grizzly"??

I thought that was their nature. That's why we don't all go traipsing through grizzly country.

If you're dumb enough to enter a national park without recognizing the real (and completely fair) risks, you deserve to be eaten.

[Arctic Dave]

2. Kinda weird, huh.

For the most, part bears do not "hunt" people, that is a very, very rare occurance.

Usually you get mauled and die of your wounds, not dragged away to the bushes after being killed.

[Ken Burch]

3. If they find the bear, I'm thinking it'll turn out to have been rabid.

Still, this does raise a good point...stay the hell out of bear country when they're fattening up for winter.

[2pooped2pop]

4. the guy took bear pics for 8 min?

Did I read that right somewhere? Too bad he didn't leave before the bear noticed him.

[Arctic Dave]

5. Yes. Makes what happened even more strange.

He also was closer than allowed.

Maybe the bear didn't know he was there and it got startled. They doesn't explain the dragging the body away.