Bear Mauling Claims Two Campers on Katmai NP Coast

Two campers were found dead Monday afternoon at a lake adjacent to Kaflia Bay in Katmai National Park and Preserve. Both had been mauled by one or more bears.

The campers were Timothy Treadwell, Timothy Treadwell, age 46, and Amie Huguenard, 37, both of Malibu, California, who were to be picked up from a camping and bear-watching trip by a Kodiak air taxi operator. Treadwell is well-known as the founder of Grizzly People, an organization whose mission is to help preserve bears and their habitat through educational efforts.

The pilot for Andrew Airways, who had flown to the site to pick up Treadwell and Huguenard, contacted national park rangers and the Alaska State Troopers who, in turn, flew to the remote site later that afternoon. While at the site, two brown bears were shot and killed in self defense. The first bear was identified by the Andrew Airways pilot as one which had been feeding on human remains. The bear was shot at close range after it charged park rangers at the campsite. A second bear was shot after it approached rangers and troopers who were loading the plane.

Treadwell's campsite was in a fairly brushy area with poor visibility, according to rangers. Tents and camp gear were found partially damaged, and one or more bears had buried some human remains near the camp. While what attracted bears to the camp is not clear, rangers said Treadwell located his camp near several active bear trails and that a late run of salmon comes through the lakes and nearby stream, also attracting bears. Choosing that kind of a location runs counter to advice the NPS provides to park visitors using the backcountry.

The Kaflia Bay lakes are not frequently used by visitors, although other areas along the Katmai coast are increasingly popular for guided bear watching trips. Bear watching along the coast, both by individuals and through licensed commercial guides, have a good safety record. Park managers believe this is the first bear related fatality in the park's 85-year history.

The joint investigation of the incident by the Alaska State Troopers and the National Park Service was unable to continue on the coast today because of poor weather conditions. Rangers and other investigators hope to revisit the site on Wednesday. Kaflia Bay and adjacent areas from the high tide line upslope to beyond the camping area have been closed to visitor use. Detailed information on the closure area is available from park headquarters in King Salmon at 907-246-3305.