Man seriously injured in grizzly bear attack in closed area of Grand Teton National Park

Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY

May 21, 2024 at 10:32 a.m.·2 min read

A mountain trail at the Grand Teton National Park was shut down after a man was attacked by two grizzly bears in a surprise encounter.

The Signal Mountain Summit Road and Signal Mountain Trail at the national park were closed to all public entry after a "35-year-old male visitor from Massachusetts" was "seriously injured Sunday afternoon by a bear in the area of the Signal Mountain Summit Road," the National Park Service said in a news release Monday.

Teton emergency and rescue service responded to the incident, providing emergency medical care to the victim before airlifting him to a local hospital.

The victim is in "stable condition and is expected to fully recover," the park service said in a statement.

Preliminary investigation determined that the incident was a "surprise encounter with two grizzly bears, with one of the bears contacting and injuring the visitor."

Following the incident, authorities closed the Signal Mountain Summit Road and Signal Mountain Trail to all public entry.

Grand Teton National Park is home to both black and grizzly bears. Grizzly bears are protected under both the State and Federal law.

Bear traps set in Yellowstone

In neighboring Yellowstone National Park, meanwhile, authorities have set up traps to capture black and grizzly bears "as part of ongoing grizzly bear and black bear research and management efforts and as required under the Endangered Species Act to monitor the population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem."

The bears are being captured to monitor their distribution and activities and that the process, which began on May 1 and expected to continue through October 31, is "vital to ongoing recovery of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem," the park service stated.

A grizzly bear living at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana, explores its enclosure.

Traps to capture the bears have been set up across the park and visitors have been requested to pay heed to warning signs, though none of the "trap sites in the park will be located near established hiking trails or backcountry campsites."

"It is important that the public heed these [warning] signs and do not venture into an area that has been posted," the park service said in a statement.

What to do in a bear encounter?

The park service recommends keeping the following things in mind, when exploring backcountry:

Be alert and aware of your surroundings; pay attention to signs
Make noise, especially in areas with limited visibility or when sound is muffled (e.g., near streams or when it is windy).
Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
Hike in big groups of three or more; avoid venturing into the wilderness alone.
If you encounter a bear, do not run. Instead back away slowly.
Immediately alert authorities if you see a bear.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bear attack at Signal Mountain in Grand Tetons injures hiker

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