Richard White, 49, was killed Friday by a grizzly bear in Denali National Park, Alaska while taking photos. It is the first time someone has been killed by a grizzly in the 4.7 million acre park’s history.
From the LATimes.com:
_”The incident began Friday afternoon when three day hikers found a camera, a backpack and evidence of a violent struggle along the Toklat River, including torn clothing and blood. They reported what they found to park rangers, who sent a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft to search for White, officials said.__
Rangers in the helicopter determined that the bear had dragged White’s remains from a flat expanse along the river to a more secluded brushy area 150 yards away, where it stored its food.
Investigators determined the bear had killed White after reviewing the bear’s stomach contents, the images on the camera and other evidence, officials said. The pictures showed the bear foraging in the brush along the Toklat River, McLaughlin said.”
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Judging by the photos on White’s camera, he was between 50 and 100 yards away from the bear, officials said. The park advises hikers to stay at least 300 yards away from bears.
The bear weighed about 600 pounds and was killed by a state trooper while it was defending the spot where White’s remains were found, according to the Times.