A grizzly attack in Yellowstone

August 29, 2011|Steve Chapman

The news that a hiker in Yellowstone was killed by a grizzly bear, the second fatal bear attack there this year, is bound to cause some people to avoid national parks for fear of being eaten alive. But it shouldn't. Given the power and lethality of the wild animals that sit above us on the food chain, the surprise is not how many humans are killed by carnivorous beasts but how few. 

Three million people, after all, visit Yellowstone every year, which means that even in a bad year, a fatal encounter with sharp claws and teeth is a million-to-one event. Few people in Yellowstone ever see a grizzly, and few grizzlies ever do any mauling. The Yellowstone area has 600 or more of these bears, and the vast majority stay out of trouble. 

The bigger danger in the outdoors is human mistakes. Already this year, Yosemite National Park has had 17 people die, five from natural causes and a dozen from accidents like falling off cliffs and being swept over waterfalls -- often after ignoring warning signs. 

Next time you venture into the wilds, keep in mind that you need to watch out for the deadly creatures roaming around out there. The most dangerous one will be easy to find, because it will be wearing your pants.