GRISLY

Woman Found Dead in Suspected Grizzly Attack Near Yellowstone

Grizzly bear tracks were found at the scene, officials said.

A woman died in an apparent bear attack on a popular hiking trail west of Yellowstone National Park on Saturday morning, wildlife officials said. Both the woman’s body and grizzly bear tracks were found at the scene on Buttermilk Trail, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said in a news release. A cause of death was not immediately confirmed, and an investigation into the incident continues. An emergency closure that prevents all human entry has been issued for the area, and is expected to last until Aug. 25, according to rangers. The “apparent bear encounter,” as officials called it, comes amid an uptick in grizzly bear population, according to the Montana department’s release. Last month, a 34-year-old hunter survived an attack by a grizzly in Alaska; days later, a 66-year-old man building a cabin was killed by a bear in Arizona in what officials called an unprovoked and “highly unusual” attack.