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May 22, 2000 - National Park officials at Great Smokey Mountain National Park reported a Tennessee woman was fatally mauled by a black bear in the Little River region of the park on Sunday, May 21st.
The woman and a friend entered the park around 12:00 noon to fish along the Little River. Her friend reported that around 2:00 PM they separated. About an hour later and concerned that she had not returned, her companion started to search for her. Walking along the trail toward the backcountry campsites at the Little River Drainage they came across her damaged daypack and then further up found her body off trail. They reported that a very large female black bear and a cub, probably a yearling, was over her body.
Another hiker reported the incident at 5:00 PM and rangers were on the scene about an hour later. Two black bears were found in the area and shot by park officials. The remains of the bears are undergoing necropsies to confirm that these are indeed the killers of the day hiker.
National Park officials report that this is the first recorded fatality due to bear attack in the park's 66 year history. As a precaution the backcountry campsites around the Little River Drainage have been closed. People holding backcountry permits or reservations are strongly encouraged to call the park.
Predatory attacks by black bears are extremely rare. Over the last 35 years about 30 documented fatal attacks have been recorded throughout North America. All of these attacks have involved either abnormally large and healthy or extremely sickly male bears.
"Predatory attacks by female black bears are unheard of," said OutdoorPlaces.Com founder David Obelcz, "black bears by nature avoid humans and attacks by females with cubs are typically to protect their young. The stalking, hunting, and killing of a human for consumption by a female black bear is very unusual behavior."
The National Park Service was withholding the identify of the victim, pending notification of their family.
Want to learn more about bear attacks, read Hiking In Bear Country.
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