A woman hiking with a friend and three dogs near an Alaska state park was injured Saturday when a brown bear suddenly attacked, officials said.
The Anchorage Police Department said Sunday that the woman’s injuries were not life-threatening and that she is expected to make a recovery.
The encounter occurred late in the afternoon near the Bear Valley neighborhood in south Anchorage, an area that borders Chugach State Park, according to a separate Monday statement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
A brown bear is seen moving through thick vegetation near Chugach State Park in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday. (Anchorage Police Department)
Authorities said the hikers were following an unofficial, user-created path that switchbacks up a steep hillside. Dense, overgrown vegetation limited visibility in the area, raising the chances of a surprise wildlife encounter, ADF&G said.
“The bear came out of the dense alders, made brief contact with one of the hikers, and left the scene,” ADF&G said.
Officials said one of the victim’s dogs was off leash at the time and became separated from the group. Another group of hikers later located the dog unharmed and brought it to safety before it was returned home, according to ADF&G.
Aerial footage from police shows a brown bear moving through dense alders near Anchorage, Alaska, after a sudden encounter with hikers Saturday. (Anchorage Police Department)
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According to wildlife officials, bears are known to cache and defend food sources this time of year and noted reports that at least one moose had recently been killed nearby.
“High winds and inclement weather conditions at the time of the encounter may have increased the chance that the bear was surprised by the hikers and their dogs, even if they were making noise,” ADF&G said.
“There are many private and public trails throughout Anchorage and the surrounding area that are overgrown at this time of year with tall grass and leafed out shrubs, which can greatly increase the chances of surprise encounters with wildlife.”
A thermal drone camera pinpoints a brown bear on a steep hillside near Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday. (Anchorage Police Department)
First responders from multiple agencies, including the Anchorage Fire Department, Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Alaska State Troopers, responded.
Upon arrival, police officers reportedly hiked up the trail to locate the injured adult.
Firefighters then carried the injured woman down the trail before transporting her to a hospital.
During the rescue, APD officers deployed a drone and located a brown bear nearby. Officers continued monitoring the bear throughout the rescue, allowing first responders to safely treat and evacuate the injured hiker.
