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The man, who
worked in the park, had been reported missing by co-workers
Thursday morning. He was found by rangers at around noon in the
vicinity of the Elephant Back Loop Trail in the Lake Village
area where he had been hiking.
A conclusive cause of death has yet to be determined, said
Yellowstone spokeswoman Julena Campbell. But she said rangers
investigating the incident had found signs of grizzly bear
activity in the area, bear scat, fur and patches of depressed
grass, known as day beds, where one or more bears might have
rested during the day.
Park officials have not released the hiker's name or provided
additional details about the incident pending notification of
family members, although they did say he was from Montana.
The area around Elephant Back Loop Trail has been closed to
hikers while the investigation continues.
Fatal bear attacks are uncommon among the 3.5 million annual
visitors who roam across Yellowstone's 2.2 million acres (8,900
square km). But park officials say they are continually working
to educate the public about the dangers posed by grizzlies and
other wildlife.
Two people were killed in separate bear attacks in Yellowstone
in 2012, and four people have been injured by bison so far this
year.
Park visitation for 2015 is on a record pace, up 20 percent over
last year.
Officials remind hikers to stay on designated trails, leave an
itinerary with others, hike in groups of three or more, make
noise on the trail and carry bear spray.
(Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Eric Walsh)
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