Grizzly bear kills hiker near Yellowstone, the third such fatal attack in as many years

A grizzly bear walks along the North Fork of the Flathead River in Montana. A grizzly bear attacked and killed a woman over the weekend outside the Montana town of West Yellowstone, officials said, forcing the closure of a national forest while trackers searched for the animal. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department issued a news release Monday morning confirming that a hiker had notified officials at 8 a.m. Saturday of the discovery of a body. Morgan Jacobsen, a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department information officer, said it was still unknown what would happen to the bear when it was caught. “Maybe people have more resources to do this type of traveling or maybe being stuck inside makes these places even more attractive.” Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department officials said the grizzly bear population would “only become denser and more widespread” in the coming years, “increasing the likelihood that residents and recreationists will encounter them in more places each year.” Jacobsen said this was the third bear fatality in as many years in the same national forest.