Alaska’s wildlife officials have issued a cautionary notice to a local community after a bear attacked a 36-year-old woman early Tuesday morning. The woman, who was jogging near her home on Chinook Drive, near the Pillars Boat Launch on the Kenai River, suffered severe injuries in the incident that took place between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m.
The woman had barely covered a distance of 50 yards from her home when a bear, emerging from a neighboring property, attacked her. The bear then dragged her approximately 100 yards down the road onto another property. The owner of the property, who had been awakened by the noise before dawn, initially assumed a bear was causing the disturbance. He ventured outside to investigate about half an hour later, as daylight broke.
The property owner, who was familiar with bear sounds, initially thought a bear might have attacked a dog. However, upon further investigation, he discovered the injured woman on his property. Despite being in shock, the woman was conscious and able to communicate. She had sustained significant injuries to her face and scalp.
The woman was subsequently airlifted to a hospital in Anchorage for medical treatment. When authorities arrived at the scene, the bear had already left. Based on the animal’s tracks and other evidence, officials believe it was a brown bear.
Despite a thorough search of the area by Wildlife Troopers, Fish and Game, and Kenai Police, the bear was not located. There was no indication that the bear was defending a food source, leading authorities to believe that the woman may have startled it. While initial plans were to euthanize the bear if found, officials acknowledged the difficulty in identifying the specific bear involved and suggested it may have already left the area.
In the wake of the incident, patrols in the neighborhood have been increased and residents have been urged to remain alert. Authorities also reminded the public that bears are currently foraging for salmon and berries in preparation for winter hibernation. They stressed the importance of awareness and preparedness when encountering a bear, advising those venturing into the woods to ensure they can hear their surroundings.