A 72-year-old was alone picking huckleberries in a Montana forest. Then, a grizzly bear attacked him

Rebekah Riess and Ashley R. Williams, CNN

COLUMBIA FALLS, Montana (CNN) — A 72-year-old Montana man changeable and killed a grizzly carnivore aft it attacked him while he was unsocial picking huckleberries, according to nan Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

The man was hospitalized aft nan encounter, which happened Thursday evening adjacent Columbia Falls connected Flathead National Forest lands, nan agency said successful a news release.

FWP’s wardens and carnivore specialists referred to nan incident arsenic a “surprise protect encounter.”

The man reportedly changeable nan carnivore pinch a handgun aft nan big female grizzly charged him, nan merchandise stated. FWP responded to nan incident and confirmed nan carnivore was killed.

Officials said they were now moving to verify if nan carnivore had immoderate cubs pinch her.

“Montana is carnivore country. People should beryllium prepared to brushwood grizzly aliases achromatic bears successful Montana. Avoiding conflicts pinch bears is easier than dealing pinch conflicts,” nan agency said successful nan release, outlining precautions to return to thief debar “negative carnivore encounters,” specified arsenic carrying carnivore spray and walking successful groups.

Grizzly bears, which unrecorded successful nan US states of Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming and Washington, feed connected berries arsenic portion of their diet, according to nan North American Bear Center.

Huckleberries successful particular – which scope their highest ripeness successful mid-July, comprise astir half nan fare for nan hundreds of grizzly bears inhabiting nan area of Montana’s Glacier National Park, which is conscionable northbound of Columbia Falls, according to nan University of Washington.

Bear attacks are rare, pinch astir bears usually willing successful protecting their space, nutrient aliases cubs, according to the National Park Service.

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