WEST YELLOWSTONE, Montana (AP) — A woman was found dead in Montana on Saturday after coming into contact with a grizzly bear on a trail west of Yellowstone National Park.
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said in a statement Sunday that the woman was found deceased on a trail near West Yellowstone, a Montana town nestled in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, just west of Yellowstone National Park.
They said the woman was found dead “following an apparent bear encounter” based on what investigators determined were grizzly bear tracks at the scene. The department said the investigation into the grizzly bear attack is ongoing.
Rangers have issued an emergency closure of the area where the woman was found, which is popular with hikers.
Although the department’s statement says the death appears to have followed the woman’s interaction with the bear, it has not confirmed her cause of death.
The attack comes amid a surge in Montana’s grizzly bear population and an increase in sightings.
The department issued a news release last week warning visitors that staff had confirmed grizzly bear sightings statewide, “particularly in areas between the Northern Continental Divide and the Great Yellowstone ecosystems.”
They implored those camping and visiting the parks to wear pepper spray, store their food outside and take care of their trash.