Bear Kills 11 Year Old Boy in Utah

[southcitymom]

How awful! That poor little boy, what a terrifying way to die. His parents must be in horrible pain.


We have a cabin and now I'm going to be paranoid to let my ten year old out of my sight while we're up there. Don't get me wrong it's not like she goes off for a walk through the bushes on her own but if we're outside I have no problem running in and out of the cabin to get stuff for the BBQ....

Aren't black bears supposed to want to stay away from people??




Jubie

Most all bears (black and grizzly) want to stay away from people.

However, bears and humans share the woods and run-ins are inevitable. Also, over time, many bears have become habituated to humans and that is a dangerous situation.

If a bear associates a human with food, then their natural inclination to stay the heck away is overridden by their enormous appetite.

Black bears - not jusy grizzlies - will definitely attack humans. Several months agao, a black bear attacked a mother and her young son and daughter at a creek near a campsite in TN. The mother was able to save her infant son, but later found her daughter's lifeless body on the trail.

 

[Vegas Bride]

This is getting a lot of coverage here in Utah. The family is starting to speak out against the federal park service saying there should have been warnings because a few days before there was a bear attack on another camp site, no one was injured but the tent was shredded. However the family who lost the boy was camping in an area that was not a designated camping area. People have to be aware that there is a risk of coming across wild animals if they're in the wild. I'm sensing a law suit in the future.

VB

 

[Texana]

What a tragedy for this child and his family. I feel so sad thinking of how frightened he must have been!

That said--this reminds me of people getting attacked by mountain lions on hiking trails in California--and then complaining--

The cutesy animated movies about animals in the wild probably don't help, either....sigh.

I saw enough wildlife in the form of snakes when I was a kid camping to make me realize that I have no interest in getting any closer the wild!

 

[eleven]

This is getting a lot of coverage here in Utah. The family is starting to speak out against the federal park service saying there should have been warnings because a few days before there was a bear attack on another camp site, no one was injured but the tent was shredded. However the family who lost the boy was camping in an area that was not a designated camping area. People have to be aware that there is a risk of coming across wild animals if they're in the wild. I'm sensing a law suit in the future.

VB

I think they are just misdirecting their pain....

It's not the park services fault this happened. It's nobody's fault, really. It's a chance you take when you camp in the woods. Even if it's a designated camping area, there are no guarantees implied that this can't happen. You're right that people need to be aware that this can happen...and if any adults aren't aware that this can happen in the wild, they shouldn't be camping in the first place.

I don't see how a lawsuit can be filed regarding this. This bear didn't attack due to anyones negligence. It's a heartbreaking story, but it's a tragic accident and nobody is at fault.

 

[LionRun]

I think they are just misdirecting their pain....

It's not the park services fault this happened. It's nobody's fault, really. It's a chance you take when you camp in the woods. Even if it's a designated camping area, there are no guarantees implied that this can't happen. You're right that people need to be aware that this can happen...and if any adults aren't aware that this can happen in the wild, they shouldn't be camping in the first place.

I don't see how a lawsuit can be filed regarding this. This bear didn't attack due to anyones negligence. It's a heartbreaking story, but it's a tragic accident and nobody is at fault.

Great post, eleven! From time to time Black Bears, usually young adult or sub-adult males predate on humans. Sometimes this happens even if there is no food or food containers in the area. We cannot fault the bear--it is his instinct to predate periodically and gather food in any way to survive. Humans hunt and have animals raised for food, and it is hard to think of ourselves as potential food for a large animal. But, this is nature.

It is very sad and very tragic that this dear, young boy was killed by a bear. I don't know if the family followed safety rules with food or not. I don't know the facts concerning a shortage of typical food for the bears in that area. Either way, we are potential prey for some large predators from time to time. It breaks my heart that that young boy is gone and that his family has to go on knowing how he died. They are in my prayers.

Lion

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Speaking of animal attacks, we had a wild one here in Florida--About 20 miles north of Tampa yesterday, in a rural area, a man confronted a bobcat--The bobcat jumped him and a struggle ensued--The man eventually choked the animal to death, after the man received cuts and scratches and a puncture wound to his stomach from the bobcat---A neighbor also helped but both now have to get shots because the bobcat had rabies--The man who killed the bobcat said he had seen a panther before in his rural neighborhood but never a bobcat

 

[Angie4b1g]

Very tragic story. What a horrible way for an innocent life to be ended.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Here's anther Bear attack incident, this time in Helen, Georgia and with a happier ending--A 300 pound black bear came upon a family's campsite and started to invade the family's cooler--The 6 year old boy thre something at the bear and the bear started for the boy--The father,thinking quickly,grabbed a log and smashed the bear on the head,killing the bear

 

[Autumn2004]

How sad, my cousin and her family have had to deal with bears and one attack. They did live on quite a bit of property, 1100 acres to be exact. They were by their house and the black bear came within 10 feet of their home and my cousin and her daughter were able to get away but it attacked and killed her two dogs. It only took a few swipes from him and the dogs were trying to protect their family. There were so many bear after a few years in their town that the government stepped in to thin them down.

 

[LisainWV]

This is a tragic story - for the family and the bear.

We need to realize, as the human breed invades every available space on this earth, that wildlife has the instinct to survive as well. I think this will happen more and more as the wild critters lose their space.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

How sad, my cousin and her family have had to deal with bears and one attack. They did live on quite a bit of property, 1100 acres to be exact. They were by their house and the black bear came within 10 feet of their home and my cousin and her daughter were able to get away but it attacked and killed her two dogs. It only took a few swipes from him and the dogs were trying to protect their family. There were so many bear after a few years in their town that the government stepped in to thin them down.

--that's sad--the poor dogs were only trying to defend the family--Where did this happen?

 

[Peter Hamilton]

This is a tragic story - for the family and the bear.

We need to realize, as the human breed invades every available space on this earth, that wildlife has the instinct to survive as well. I think this will happen more and more as the wild critters lose their space.

--agree its sad for the bears too in both of these cases--they are only going on instinct

 

[Autumn2004]

--that's sad--the poor dogs were only trying to defend the family--Where did this happen?

Mancelona, Michigan. They still have quite a big population of black bear. They do not own dogs since the attack. They wondered if the dog's food bowls outside attracted the bear to them. The kids cannot play outside at all anymore. My cousin is too fearful of another bear attack.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

ok--thanks Autumn

 

[southcitymom]

Here's anther Bear attack incident, this time in Helen, Georgia and with a happier ending--A 300 pound black bear came upon a family's campsite and started to invade the family's cooler--The 6 year old boy thre something at the bear and the bear started for the boy--The father,thinking quickly,grabbed a log and smashed the bear on the head,killing the bear

Hey Peter,

Here's a link to this story you reference. Pretty crazy story!

SCM

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/stories/2007/06/22/gwxbear0622.html

 

[Peter Hamilton]

thanks for that link SCM

 

[ziggy]

Great, just great. This summer the kids chose camping for several weekends over one week in Disneyland as a vacation. For Father's day they bought Dad a tent!

Now I'm unsettled.

Do I bring a gun? Even if I go buy one for protection, I doubt you're allowed to bring one into a state park camping area in CA.

Any advice? I already know I have to wash all the clothes with scent free detergent and no softner...no fruity shampoos, chapsticks etc.

How do you protect yourself? Stun Gun?

 

[eleven]

Great, just great. This summer the kids chose camping for several weekends over one week in Disneyland as a vacation. For Father's day they bought Dad a tent!

Now I'm unsettled.

Do I bring a gun? Even if I go buy one for protection, I doubt you're allowed to bring one into a state park camping area in CA.

Any advice? I already know I have to wash all the clothes with scent free detergent and no softner...no fruity shampoos, chapsticks etc.

How do you protect yourself? Stun Gun?

Don't let something like this take away from plans for camping. I wouldn't worry about it. Certainly, bringing a gun along with small children on a camping trip is a MUCH bigger threat than any attacking bear---making that decision could well be one you end up regretting for the rest of your life.

 

[UM&AMWfan]

Here's anther Bear attack incident, this time in Helen, Georgia and with a happier ending--A 300 pound black bear came upon a family's campsite and started to invade the family's cooler--The 6 year old boy thre something at the bear and the bear started for the boy--The father,thinking quickly,grabbed a log and smashed the bear on the head,killing the bear

WHAT???? That doesn't sound right. No human on earth can life a real log and swing it like a bat since they weigh several hundred pounds. If you meant he grabbed a big branch and hit the bear with it that would almost never kill an adult male bear since they are very tough. It could scare him and cause him to run away or just piss him off where he would attack.

It takes more than that to kill an adult male black bear.

Do you have a link or something about this story??

 

[southcitymom]

WHAT???? That doesn't sound right. No human on earth can life a real log and swing it like a bat since they weigh several hundred pounds. If you meant he grabbed a big branch and hit the bear with it that would almost never kill an adult male bear since they are very tough. It could scare him and cause him to run away or just piss him off where he would attack.

It takes more than that to kill an adult male black bear.

Do you have a link or something about this story??

I posted the link to the story above. The father grabbed a piece of firewood and threw it at the bear's head and killed the bear.