Bear Attack Fuels Debate Over Alaskan Trails

(NEWSER) - Anchorage has long been a bear-friendly town, but with three uncharacteristic maulings last summer some residents want a more aggressive wildlife management policy this year, the AP reports. The city of 285,000 is also home to more than 300 bears and borders a national park that officials have called a “bear factory.” The city has increased the number of bear-hunting permits to 10 but says that’s enough. More»

Playing dead saves Alaska man's life

(NEWSER) - An Alaskan cyclist survived a grizzly bear attack with just minor injuries after playing dead. The pharmacist was riding his bike to work along a trail in an Anchorage park when he surprised a bear, who charged him. He played dead while the bear—a mother with her cub—swatted him and bit him once, leaving him with a torn ear and lacerations to his calf, the Anchorage Daily News reports. More»

Teens recount Alaska terror

(NEWSER) - The teenagers were doing everything right, just as they'd been taught during their 24 days at Alaska's National Outdoor Leadership School: They were yelling to alert bears in the area of their presence as they crossed a river in a single file line. Then: "Bear! Bear!" yelled Joshua Berg, 17. The snarling grizzly rushed them—it "came really fast," which is "super unusual," says the program director—and before they had time to pull out their bear deterrent spray, the angry creature was upon them . Though they had been taught to play dead in such a situation, "natural instincts" took over instead, says Sam Gottsegen, 17: The boys ran. More»

Bear in Yellowstone attack has not been located

(NEWSER) - The grizzly bear who fatally mauled a hiker yesterday is still roaming Yellowstone National Park, though officials have closed campgrounds and trails near the scene of the attack. The 57-year-old victim and his wife actually encountered the bear twice during their hike, a park spokesperson says, but the first time they simply continued on. The next time, however, the grizzly charged as the victim yelled for his wife to run. More»

'Mama bear doesn't look 2 anyone else 2 hand her anything'

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin Tweeted her immense respect for—or perhaps envy of—the adult female grizzly bear yesterday after meeting Alaskan biologists, Politico reports. The soon-to-be ex-governor praised “mama bears’ gutteral raw instinct to protect & provide for her young” and described the animal in action. “She sees danger? She brazenly rises up on strong hind legs, growls Don’t Touch My Cubs & the species survives & mama bear doesn’t look 2 anyone else 2 hand her anything.” More»