“The man had bear spray with him, but it is unclear whether he was able to use it during the attack,” said a message from the department. He was transported to Idaho Falls for serious injury treatment.
Mock underwent two surgeries before having a stroke, eventually passing away Saturday from injuries sustained in the mauling, according to the Facebook page of Charles Mock’s employer, Backcountry Adventures, which offers snowmobile rentals, guide services and snow coach tours in the area.
A group of seven investigators, including Forest Service personnel and bear specialists, returned to the attack site on Friday to assess the ongoing risks to public safety and conduct an investigation. Before reaching the site of the mauling, a bear, described as an “older male grizzly,” began attacking the group.
Investigators later found a moose carcass within 50 meters of the site of Mock’s attack. This would indicate that the grizzly was likely defending a food source, the statement said.
The National Park Service says Yellowstone has received more than 118 million visits since 1979. During this time, 44 people were injured by grizzly bears in the park.
For all park visitors combined, the chance of being injured by a grizzly bear is about 1 in 2.7 million visits. The risk is significantly lower for people who do not leave developed areas or roadsides, and higher for anyone walking in the hinterland.
Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department.