2 soldiers attacked by bear during training at Army base in Alaska
Two soldiers from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, were injured in a grizzly bear attack during a training session on Friday.
“The incident involved two soldiers participating in a land navigation training exercise,” said a news release from the 11th Airborne Division, of which both soldiers were part of. “Both individuals were injured and are currently receiving appropriate medical care. For privacy reasons, we are not releasing their names or specific details about their condition until next of kin have been notified.”
No further details regarding the extent of the soldiers’ injuries were released because the investigation is ongoing, officials said.
Both soldiers carried and distributed bear spray during a land navigation training exercise, according to a statement provided to CBS News.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game said in a statement after an investigation that it was likely a defensive attack by a bear that had just emerged from its den after hibernating. Authorities said they were unable to find a bear while combing the remote area.
“We hope for a full and speedy recovery for both individuals, and our thoughts are with them during this time. ADF&G will continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the attack and seek to learn everything we can about what happened to improve public safety around wildlife in Alaska,” District Superintendent Cyndi Wardlow said in a statement. he said. “In this case, having bear spray with them in the field may have saved their lives.”
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is home to more than 40,000 people, more than half of whom are active-duty military members. It is the home of the 11th Airborne as well as the 673d Air Base Wing and U.S. Army Alaska.
It is not unheard of for soldiers to be attacked by bears at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. In May 2022, a soldier identified as Staff Sgt. Seth Michael Plant, 30, was killed by a bear attack west of the Anchorage Regional Landfill. based on.
Bear attacks are quite common in Alaska due to its high population. There are about 100,000 black bears and 30,000 brown bears in Alaska, according to the Department of Fish and Game.
Between 2000 and 2017, 68 people were hospitalized after bear attacks in the state. to work By Alaska’s Division of Epidemiology. According to the research, the vast majority of attacks, approximately 96%, similar to Thursday’s attacks, are carried out by grizzly bears.
The research showed that there were 10 deaths in eight separate attacks during the same period.
