A black bear was captured and euthanized after attacking a 3-year-old girl at a private campground near Red Lodge, Montana, on Sunday night. The incident occurred around 10 p.m. when the bear entered a tent and injured the child, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). The girl was immediately transported to a medical facility in Billings, though her condition remains undisclosed as of the latest reports.
Following the attack, FWP officials, along with the Red Lodge Police Department, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, evacuated the campground to ensure the safety of other campers. Traps and snares were set up to capture the bear responsible for the attack. By Monday afternoon, the bear was successfully captured and euthanized. Officials are confident that the bear they captured was the same one involved in the attack, based on evidence such as physical characteristics and unsecured attractants at the site.
The bear had no prior history of conflicts with humans but had likely become food-conditioned and human-habituated due to accessing unsecured attractants like garbage, a cooler, and human food found around and inside the tent where the attack occurred. This incident underscores the importance of proper food storage and waste management in bear habitats to prevent such dangerous encounters.
Around 10 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11, a subadult female black bear attacked and injured a child inside a tent at a private…
Posted by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks – Region 5 on Tuesday 13 August 2024
Wildlife experts consistently emphasize the need for campers to be “bear aware” by keeping food, trash, and any scented items out of tents and storing them in bear-resistant containers or vehicles. The presence of unsecured attractants can lead to bears associating humans with food, increasing the likelihood of conflicts.
This attack is part of a broader trend of increasing human-bear interactions across the United States. According to the International Association for Bear Research and Management, over 46,000 incidents were reported to state agencies in 2022. The rise in encounters is largely driven by bears seeking food in expanding human development.
In response to this incident, FWP continues to monitor the area and has left traps in place as a precautionary measure. The agency also plans to conduct further investigations to ensure no other bears threaten public safety in the vicinity.
The campground remains closed until further notice, and officials urge campers and residents in bear-prone areas to adhere to safety guidelines to minimize the risk of similar incidents.
