A woman was mauled by a brown bear while hiking a popular trail in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains.
The woman, who has not been identified, was hiking the Basher Trail in the Chugach Mountains, near Anchorage, on July 22 when the bear attacked her, the Anchorage Fire Department said in a post on Facebook.
The fire department said the victim called 911 to report the attack around 2:30 p.m. local time and told officials she “needed help as soon as possible,” as she “could not get out on their own due to injuries sustained in the mauling.”
Multiple agencies, including crews with the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska State Troopers responded to assist the victim, the fire department said.
Victim was not able to walk, officials said
Anchorage Police spokesperson Christopher Barraza told Anchorage News Daily the hiker remained in contact with authorities as they attempted to locate her, eventually using a drone to find her. Anchorage Police did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for more information on the incident.
“She’s not able to walk, and they were having trouble locating her,” Barraza told the media outlet. “She called us, she was on the phone with us the entire time.”
An Alaska Department of Public Safety helicopter evacuated the woman from the trail and transported her to a hospital, department spokesman Austin McDaniel told Anchorage News Daily. Barraza said her injuries were not considered life-threatening.
While the woman was transported to safety, the bear ran off and could not be located.
Anchorage Fire Department, in a post on Facebook, advised hikers to “avoid all the trails around the Stuckagain Heights area for the time being.”
Staying safe in bear country
Alaska is home to three types of bears − black, brown and polar − according to Alaska Fish and Game. Here’s what the department recommends if you encounter a bear:
Never approach or crowd bears; respect their “personal space.”
Make yourself appear as large as possible.
Don’t surprise a bear: Make noise, sing or talk loudly. Always let bears know you are there.
Don’t feed bears.
Never run: You can’t outrun a bear, and the animals will see you as fleeing prey.
In case of an attack, play dead or fight back.
If you see cubs, be extra cautious. Mother bears are very protective of their young. Do not approach, touch or interact with cubs.
Always carry bear deterrents, such as firearms and bear spray. However, these two should only be used as a last resort and not as an alternative to common-sense approaches to bear encounters.
The fire department also encouraged hikers in the area to “file trip plans with friends or family prior to trekking off into the great outdoors.”
“Information regarding your planned route can be invaluable as we try to locate you in case of an emergency,” the department said. “To be extra prepared, leave a copy of your trip plan underneath your windshield wiper!”
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brown bear attacks woman hiking Basher Trail in Alaska mountains
