Near-fatal bear attack in Anchorage prompts outcry, discussion

Mon, June 30, 2008
Posted in Alaska News, Top Stories

An Anchorage teenager was scheduled for more surgery today to treat extensive wounds from a bear attack in the city’s Bicentennial Park this weekend. Police aren’t releasing her name but describe her injuries as critical, with damage to internal organs. She’s expected to live. Wildlife mangers will monitor bear activity in the area closely in the coming weeks and decide whether there is a threat to public safety.

Annie Feidt, APRN - Anchorage

Standard Podcast [4:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Comments

7 Comments to “Near-fatal bear attack in Anchorage prompts outcry, discussion”

Peggy Warden on June 30, 2008 at 7:09 pm

It seems pretty evident that there is a threat to public safety, given the events of recent days. The bear hasn’t been located and people have been threatened and injured.I don’t see what the question is??
Don Lietzau on July 1, 2008 at 7:02 am

Just what does it take to be a public saftey issue? If it had been a man that attacked this little gal then the police would do something about it post haste. Just my opinion but it would seem that the city and the state should be held accountable for such injurys when they know the possibility of such a threat was present even before tha attack. Bears and people just don’t mix well and wild Alaska is where they should be living, not downtown
Philip Lillard on July 1, 2008 at 9:46 am

Truly the mauling of this girl is a horrible thing
and my heart does go out to her.However,is this not the risk we take by living in Alaska. “Big Wild Life” There is no need to find someone or something to blame. It is a natural consequence of our choice to live away from the Rat Race and chaotic urban-ization of the lower 48.
Lara Madden on July 1, 2008 at 10:42 am

We do take a risk living here, but the city and organizers are also responsible for the safety of the riders in this race. If someone knew there was bears, especially a mother grizzley with cubs, why weren’t the riders wearing bells on their bikes or someone in a motorized vehicle monitoring the trail?

I thought the policies were that we re-located or took down bears once they attacked humans? Can someone clarify the Fish & Game policies in the Muni? Isn’t a bear that has tasted human blood a threat to public safety???
David Donahue on July 1, 2008 at 9:10 pm

It sadens me to read comments attempting to place responsiblity on our municipality for this attack. I do agree that the density of bear populace in Campbell tract is getting dangerously high. However, anyone with any intelligence should recogonize that there are chances of this happening any time we step outside. I use this trail system at least a couple times a week and I would support any plans of bear relocation. I also think(and I know it’s controversial)that a one day bow hunt would be an acceptable solution that would be much easier on municiple budgets.
John Hunnicutt on July 2, 2008 at 10:55 am

I was saddened when I heard about this story and my heart truely goes out to this unfortunate girl, who undoubtedly has a tough road ahead of her. But even with that said, that doesn’t give the rest of us a license to go around killing bears just because they are inconveniencing us and our Big Wild Lifestyles. As unfortunate as the attack and subsequent injuries this poor girl suffered was, the real tragedy here would have been if they had found that bear and killed it. I have no doubt that the bear was just doing what bears do and sometimes we get too close and it’s not very pleasant for us, but it’s still just a simple fact of nature.
I think it’s important for all of us to remember that the bears were here first, and that we moved into their habitat, not the other way around. Bear encounters are something we have to get used to as part of living in Alaska and it is irresponsible to think otherwise.
And I think that if anyone is to blame, it is the race organizers, who held the race there anyway, knowing that particular area was especially prone to bear encounters. And also the racers themselves; many of whom knew that bears frequented that area and that riding there was risky.
And while I haven’t heard any outcry from the racers to hunt down the bears in that area so they can ride there in safety (in fact they seem to just accept the risk and ride anyway) it seems to me that anyone who is making use of these trails needs to recognize that they are taking a risk and that if anything happens it is basically their fault. After all this is Alaska, not New York City.
Also, I think that the race organizers have a responsibility to the safety of the racers and if they can’t guarantee their safety, then they should postpone or cancel the event until they can hold it in relative safety.
Gail High on August 5, 2008 at 5:16 pm

8/04/08
I’ve been here since 1950 when neighborhoods were separated by large wooded tracks of land. Wilderness was even closer then.

I never saw a bear until 1979 on the way to Valdez. Bears didn’t necessarily live in every forested area. They have certain areas that they like better than others. As a child I roamed the woods without any encounters. As did my children twenty years later.

The bears have overpopulated the Federal and State Parks so now they move into neighborhoods they may have never lived in before, our neighborhoods.

I’ve read that bears are solitary animals and like a territory of five square miles.
Fish and Game can figure out how many bears can co-exist in our large Federal and State parks. Once the limits on habitat are reached the bears will overflow into populated areas. Are we paying property taxes to live with bears? Would the city of Anchorage rather have taxpayers, tourists or bears?

There is no garbage, bird feeders or dog food in our yard yet, this summer we have had a brown bear and a black bear feel comfortable hanging out in the yard. We try not to make it inviting for them.

When there was a hunting season for bear I think they felt the justifiable need to stay away from humans. Now they have no such incentive. These bears in our yards are definitely not afraid of people.

If we pay taxes for the city to build trails for bicyclists, runners, and others and maintain parks, shouldn’t we expect that we can use them if relative safety. If bears are afraid of us they won’t use these trails as super highways to other parts of town. Animals, like humans, often will also take the easiest paths.

I understand the idea that if we live next to wilderness areas there will be some encounters. But we should not have to be afraid and expect to have such encounters around every corner.

I don’t let my grandchildren play in the yard without an adult present. I’m just concerned that the best I could do would be to yell, Run, and throw myself at the bear. Unless, of course, I carry a gun at all times. But I may not be a good shot under such pressure. We all know how shooting an animal gets a person crucified in today’s media.