Arkansas officials investigate rare fatal bear attacks
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Screenshot: Courtesy of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is not sure what caused two bears to kill two people in separate incidents, commission spokesperson Keith Stephens told Axios.
The latest: The commission is awaiting more test results for diseases in the bear believed to have killed a man in the second attack and trying to determine whether any common factors exist between the black bears, Stephens said.
- The first bear tested negative for diseases like rabies and distemper but was malnourished and had lesions on its brain.
- The commission first investigated whether the bears had been "habituated," meaning they lost their fear of humans because of people feeding them, but has ruled that out after not finding any evidence of human-given food in their stomachs.
Flashback: A 72-year-old Ozark man, Vernon Patton, died after being attacked while on a tractor near Mulberry Mountain in Franklin County in early September. A 60-year-old Missouri man, Max Thomas, was killed while camping in Newton County about a month later.
- Both bears were young and male, Stephens said.
Context: While it's not uncommon for hikers and campers to encounter one of Arkansas' 5,000 to 6,000 black bears, attacks are rare, Stephens said. Until this year, there hadn't been a fatal attack recorded in Arkansas since 1892.
Reality check: Stephens confirmed that another report of a "nonfatal attack" on Ozarks Highland Trail earlier this month was only an encounter, not an attack. A father and son who were camping saw a bear and did the correct things to scare it off.
If you see a bear: The best way to ward off a black bear is to stand up and make yourself appear as large as possible and make noise by yelling or banging pots and pans if available, Stephens said. You should also throw sticks and rocks at it to scare it away.
- Campers should avoid leaving food out. In residential areas, avoid leaving food, including pet food, outside.
- You should notify the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission if you see a bear in a residential or commercial area.