Grizzly bear that mauled a camping Montana woman to death is killed by officials

Ovando, Montana - A grizzly bear that mauled a 65-year-old woman to death in the town of Ovando, Montana on Tuesday has been tracked down and killed, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department (FWP).

Bears rarely attack people, but a grizzly was responsible for the death of a camper in Montana on July 6 (stock image).
Bears rarely attack people, but a grizzly was responsible for the death of a camper in Montana on July 6 (stock image).  © 123rf.com/actionsports

The 400-pound bear's deadly attack occurred at about 3:30 AM on July 6.

The victim, a retired nurse from California, was on a biking trip with her sister and a friend, according to the Associated Press. According to park officials, the campers were initially awakened by the sounds of the bear. They initially removed any food from their tents and safely stowed it elsewhere, before going back to sleep after the grizzly disappeared.

Half an hour later, the bear returned and attacked the woman sleeping alone in the tent. Her companions were able to drive the animal away with bear spray, but the 65-year-old was so badly injured that she died.

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"This is not normal bear behavior," FWP spokesperson Greg Lemon said, adding that the animals are usually only this aggressive when defending food or their cubs.

Bear caught after raiding chicken coop

A flier posted on a small cabin warns campers about grizzly bear activity in the town of Ovando.
A flier posted on a small cabin warns campers about grizzly bear activity in the town of Ovando.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Authorities initially used traps and helicopters with no luck, but early Friday, they caught the grizzly raiding the same chicken coop it had visited on the night of the fatal attack. In a Facebook post, the Powell County Sheriff's Office said it had received "a report from a resident who came home and found her door ripped off and large claw marks were present."

It added, "A short time later a male grizzly bear was killed in the area... Early indications are that this is likely the bear that was involved in Tuesdays attack."

Ovando, with a population of less just 75, is a popular pass-through town for day-trippers. It's in a region of sprawling forests near Glacier National Park, and an estimated 1,000 bears live in the area.

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Grizzlies were once nearly extinct and have been rare since 1975 in the US. The last fatal bear attack in the area was in April.

Cover photo: Collage: 123rf.com/actionsports & IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

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