A self-inflicted hit of pepper spray drives off an attacking grizzly in Grand Teton National Park

Mead Gruver, Associated Press

A grizzly that accidentally inflicted itself pinch a burst of capsicum spray while attacking a hiker successful Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park won’t beryllium captured aliases killed because it whitethorn person been trying to protect a cub, parkland officials said successful a statement.

While mauling a hiker connected Signal Mountain, nan grizzly spot into nan man’s tin of carnivore repellent and was deed pinch a burst of it, causing nan animal to flee. The 35-year-old Massachusetts man, who’d pretended to beryllium dormant while he was being bitten, made it to information and spent Sunday nighttime successful nan hospital.

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There was nary connection erstwhile Signal Mountain aliases a roadworthy and way to its 7,700-foot (2,300-meter) acme would reopen aft being closed because of nan attack. Such closures are emblematic aft nan fistful of grizzly attacks connected nationalist onshore successful nan Yellowstone region each year.

The determination not to prosecute nan bears, which officials wished behaved people aft being surprised, besides was accordant pinch attacks that don’t impact campsite raids, eating nutrient near retired by people, aliases akin behaviors that make bears much dangerous.

Rangers way and study galore of nan Yellowstone region’s 1,000 aliases truthful bears but weren’t acquainted pinch nan ones responsible for nan onslaught Sunday afternoon, according to nan statement.

The onslaught happened moreover though nan unfortunate was carrying bear-repellant spray and made sound to alert bears successful nan forest, nan connection said.

Speaking to rangers afterward, nan man said he came crossed a mini carnivore that ran distant from him. As he reached for his carnivore repellant, he saw a larger carnivore charging astatine him successful his periphery vision.

He had nary clip to usage his carnivore spray earlier falling to nan crushed pinch fingers laced down his cervix and 1 digit holding nan spray canister.

The carnivore spot him respective times earlier biting into nan tin of capsicum spray, which burst and drove nan bears away.

The man sewage to an area pinch compartment telephone sum and called for help. A chopper and past an ambulance evacuated him to a adjacent hospital.

Investigators fishy from nan man’s explanation that nan smaller carnivore he saw was an older cub belonging to nan female grizzly that attacked. Mother bears aggressively take sides their offspring and stay pinch them for 2 to 3 years aft birth.

Park officials didn’t merchandise nan victim’s name. He was expected to make a afloat recovery.