Yellowstone National Park News Release

VISITOR INJURED BY BEAR IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Yellowstone National Park officials report that a park visitor was bitten by a bear while sleeping in his tent at a designated backcountry campsite on the Sportsman Lake Trail in the northwest section of the park. The incident occurred Friday evening, August 30, 2002, at approximately 10:00 p.m.

Mike Barbic of Plano, Texas, had a two-day backcountry permit and was staying his first night at his assigned campsite when the incident occurred. He had setup camp and retired for the evening when he was awakened by the bear biting him through the tent, ripping a hole through it. Mr. Barbic screamed, frightening the bear away. Because Mr. Barbic did not actually see the bear, it is unknown whether it was a black or grizzly bear.

Mr. Barbic laid quite still for roughly an hour, listening for bear activity before exiting the tent. He then put his partially collapsed tent back up and spent the remainder of the night there. At one point during the night, he heard scratching noises near the tree where he had hung his food. At daybreak, Mr. Barbic packed up his camp and hiked to the Glen Creek Trailhead where his vehicle was parked. He then drove to Mammoth Hot Springs and reported the incident to park rangers.

Mr. Barbic received a puncture wound and a one-inch laceration to the right side of his buttocks. He was treated and released at the Mammoth Hot Springs Clinic.

Strong bear warnings have been posted along the Sportsman Lake Trail and no overnight camping is currently allowed in this area.

Visitors hiking or camping in Yellowstone National Park should be aware that an unusually high number of bears may be seen in lower elevations because of lack of normal food sources for this time of year. One of the bears' main food sources, whitebark pine, a tree that typically occurs above 8000 feet, has produced very few cones this year. Grizzly bears have already been observed coming down to lower elevations in search of food, where they are more likely to encounter visitors along roadsides, in campgrounds and picnic areas, along trails, and near homes and ranches both inside and outside the park's perimeter.

-NPS-