Four People Hurt in Grizzly Bear Attacks

Unlucky hikers and forest workers fought with grizzly bears today but walked away with only a few bite and claw wounds, the Los Angeles Times reports. In one incident, four hikers were walking a Yellowstone National Park trail when they encountered a cub; its mom, a sow grizzly, soon lunged at them and tussled with one for about a minute.One person had injuries that were treatable on the scene, while another was taken to a hospital with claw and bite marks. Fortunately, the whole group was able to hike back on their own.

About 70 miles away in an Idaho valley, two federal workers assessing forest health ran into a grizzly that was probably resting, a state official said. A fight ensued that left one worker needing stitches for bites on his thigh and backside. The other suffered bites on the hand while wielding a bear spray. Officials were later searching the scene for grizzly DNA samples, which the official said helps track bears after violent encounters. (Read about a bedridden, 82-year-old woman attacked by a 400-pound black bear.)