A bear is believed to have attacked and killed a 60-year-old Missouri man who was camping in the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas, in a rare fatal incident according to local officials. The man's children alerted police in Newton County after losing contact with him during his trip to Sam's Throne campground. Authorities found his body several yards beyond the campsite, exhibiting injuries consistent with a large carnivore attack.
The bear suspected to have been involved in the attack has since been captured and killed. While officials have not disclosed the name of the victim, Sheriff Glenn Wheeler reported that surveillance showed the bear at the campground earlier on the day of the attack. Local hunters assisted in the search, employing hounds that eventually led them to the bear, which was found treed shortly thereafter.
The remains of the bear will undergo necropsy and other tests to confirm its involvement in the attack, including DNA analysis to match it with the victim. Sheriff Wheeler expressed relief that the bear was apprehended, stating, This was a dangerous bear.
The campground has been temporarily closed following the incident, and officials noted that the man had sent family photos of the bear prior to the attack. Arkansas is home to over 5,000 black bears, the only species of bear found in the state, and fatal bear attacks remain an infrequent occurrence in North America.
The bear suspected to have been involved in the attack has since been captured and killed. While officials have not disclosed the name of the victim, Sheriff Glenn Wheeler reported that surveillance showed the bear at the campground earlier on the day of the attack. Local hunters assisted in the search, employing hounds that eventually led them to the bear, which was found treed shortly thereafter.
The remains of the bear will undergo necropsy and other tests to confirm its involvement in the attack, including DNA analysis to match it with the victim. Sheriff Wheeler expressed relief that the bear was apprehended, stating, This was a dangerous bear.
The campground has been temporarily closed following the incident, and officials noted that the man had sent family photos of the bear prior to the attack. Arkansas is home to over 5,000 black bears, the only species of bear found in the state, and fatal bear attacks remain an infrequent occurrence in North America.
