BEARS, OH MY!

Officials Euthanize 350-Pound Black Bear That Attacked a Family Camping

A mother and her 3-year-old daughter both suffered minor head injuries when they were attacked in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Officials “humanely euthanized” a massive black bear that attacked a family at Great Smoky Mountains National Park over the weekend, the National Park Service in Tennessee said. Shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday, the 350-pound animal clawed its way into the family’s tent, injuring a mother and her 3-year-old daughter, both of whom suffered what park officials called “superficial lacerations to their heads.” The child’s father managed to scare the bear away, after which the family reported the incident to campground employees. Officials conducted interviews to identify the animal, as rangers and wildlife biologists set traps in the area, according to CBS News. Once the bear was trapped, the National Park Service said that officials found that it posed human-safety risks, hence the decision to euthanize.