Bear Euthanized

[flyman]

I don't know yet if the bear attacked and killed the camper, or if he died of natural causes, and was then eaten. https://www.smokymountainnews.com/ne...-human-remains

[gjbu]

Bad for bear if it wasn’t an attack. Bad all the way around

[Knothead]

Once the bear tasted human flesh, it would be on the menu. Africa and India had maneaters that started on the corpses left just before or after death. Read Peter Hathaway Capstick's book, Maneaters. Humans are, to some critters, just another source of protein.

[North river]

I wonder if this could have been the bear responsible for the 2015 attack in the same area. The bear euthanized at the time was not the bear that attacked the teenager.

[JayR]

I wonder if this could have been the bear responsible for the 2015 attack in the same area. The bear euthanized at the time was not the bear that attacked the teenager.

You might be on to something with that. I had forgotten about that attack but AFAIK that bear was never located.

[flyman]

Did they ever determine the cause of death of the hiker? I never saw anything beyond the initial investigation.

[gjbu]

I read somewhere that when the park people came back down trail they told campers at bone valley they could stay. Only closing form cold spring up. Said something to the effect that they thought guy had been dead for a day or so but there would be an autopsy. Seem to imply that bear had not caused the death. This is all second hand information I read on web so who knows.

[Knothead]

We were camping at Townsend when the lady was killed in the park. News reports said the bear and two cubs fed on the body. Her backpack had food and it wasn't touched. If I recall, the sow and one cub were caught but that leaves a cub, now grown, in the park. Anyone have more info from Knoxville newspapers or TV stations on this? BTW, the wife was bears everywhere when we hiked. Thanks.

[JayR]

Is this the one you are referencing?

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2000-05-23-0005230173-story.html


If so, it says both animals were killed at that time. And there was only 1 cub with the sow according to the several news accounts I read.

[Grampus]

The article is correct regarding 2 bears. I met Glenda once, and knew Ralph many years (he was one of my high school teachers). Ralph passed away a few yrs ago after struggling with cancer. I spoke with him once about that day. It was a definite predatory attack. And without bear spray, Glenda never had a chance. The bears ignored her pack, which had snacks, and focused on her, then aggressively defended the body. Since that day, I more often than not carry bear spray and have had a few “iffy” situations with bears above Elkmont.

Jim Parks