Frightening Black Bear Attack on a Young Child in Montana

In an instant, the relative safety and security of a private campground turned to shock and panic.

Imagine how you would feel being the parents of a young child under attack by a wild animal. That was the scene that was playing out in a campground near Red Lodge, Montana.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks tells us that late this past Sunday night, August 11, a sub-adult female black bear attacked and injured a child inside a tent. Game wardens and  bear specialists responded to the incident. The bear was caught and euthanized the following day.

Montana FWP says the child was transported to a medical facility in Billings. We had no updates on the child's condition at the time of this posting.

EVACUATION AND TRAPPING

FWP staff went to work setting traps, first at the campsite on Sunday night. They then teamed up with the campground owner to totally evacuate the campground by the next morning. Once the campground was fully evacuated, additional traps and snares were set. Then partnering with the Red Lodge Police Department, Wyoming Game & Fish Department and the Carbon County Sherriff’s Office, Montana FWP captured the bear  Monday afternoon and it was shot and killed. To add to the misfortune of the incident, FWP found unsecured attractants, including garbage, a cooler, and human food, around and inside the tent where the attack occurred.

FOOD-CONDITIONED?

The black bear involved in the incident had no history of conflicts. However, the bear had likely become food-conditioned and human-habituated after accessing unsecured attractants in the area. Evidence at the site matched the physical characteristics of the bear and FWP believes the bear killed was the bear involved in the attack.

We know this is repetitive and you've read it dozens of times, but Montana FWP appreciates us attaching a few of their "Bear Aware" reminders to stories such as these:

>Keep food and anything with a scent out of tents.

>Dispose of garbage in bear resistant bins; otherwise, take it with you and dispose of it properly elsewhere. Do not bury or burn garbage.

>Follow local land management agency food storage orders and properly store unattended food and anything else with a scent.