Bear attacks and injures 73-year-old woman in Montana as husband takes action to rescue her

A 73-year-old lady was hospitalized after she was attacked by a bear west of Glacier Nationwide Park and simply south of the U.S. Canadian border over the weekend, Montana wildlife officers stated Monday. The assault comes simply two days after a couple was killed by a grizzly bear in Canada and simply weeks after a hunter was mauled by a grizzly in Montana.

The girl, her husband and a canine have been within the Flathead Nationwide Forest Sunday afternoon when a bear emerged from thick brush and attacked her, the Montana Division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks stated. Her husband deployed bear spray, and the bear moved away from the girl, officers stated.

The couple returned to their car and drove to a location the place they might name emergency providers at about 3 p.m.

The girl was flown to the hospital in Kalispell for remedy. Wildlife officers had no details about the girl’s medical situation on Monday. Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesperson Dillon Tabish stated. Her title has not been launched.

The assault occurred on the financial institution of Path Creek, which is just a few miles west of the North Fork Highway and fewer than 5 miles south of the Canadian border. The world is closed whereas the investigation continues. Officers do not know if a grizzly bear or a black bear was concerned.

The couple owns property within the space, Tabish stated.

The assault got here two days after a grizzly bear attacked and killed a Canadian couple and their canine in Banff Nationwide Park in Alberta.

In September, two grizzly bears — a mom and a male cub — have been captured and euthanized in Montana after “a number of conflicts with folks.”  Additionally final month, a hunter in Montana was severely mauled by a grizzly.

Stopping bear assaults

State wildlife officers on Monday reminded the general public that “Montana is bear nation.” Within the autumn, bears are energetic for longer durations as a result of they eat extra meals to organize for hibernation.

The Montana Division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks supplied these tricks to keep away from bear encounters:

• Carry bear spray and be ready to make use of it instantly.
• Make noise to alert bears to your presence and journey in teams.
• Keep away from animal carcasses, which typically entice bears.
• Observe meals storage orders from the relevant land administration company.
• Should you encounter a bear, by no means strategy it. Go away the world when it’s protected to take action.
• In case you are attacked by a bear and also you are with out a deterrent or the deterrent hasn’t labored, keep face down on the bottom, defending your face and neck along with your arms. Keep nonetheless till you are sure the bear has moved away.
• Hold rubbish, hen feeders, pet meals and different attractants put away in a safe constructing. Hold rubbish in a safe constructing till the day it’s collected. Licensed bear-resistant rubbish containers can be found in lots of areas.
• By no means feed wildlife. Bears that change into meals conditioned lose their pure foraging habits and pose threats to human security. It’s unlawful to feed bears in Montana.