DNA samples show wrong bear euthanized after Smokies hiker attacked
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park said Monday the black bear it euthanized earlier this month was not the one that attacked a hiker sleeping in his tent near the Spence Field shelter.
The determination was made after officials received DNA analyses comparing samples from bears found near the shelter where the attack occurred May 10.
The first analysis compared a sample of bear saliva taken from the belongings of hiker Bradley Veeder, 49, of Las Vegas and from a male bear euthanized on May 13. Veeder, a thru-hiker on the Appalachian Trail, was treated and released from a hospital.
The second analysis compared a sample from Veeder's belongings and a male bear that was captured and released with a GPS-tracking collar May 20.
Bear euthanized after attack on Appalachian Trail hiker
Based on the analyses, neither of the two bears' DNA matched the bear responsible for the attack.
The park said in a news release that it had developed a process that would allow timely testing of DNA samples over the past year. It also established facilities where bears could be held captive temporarily while awaiting analysis of the samples.
The park also uses the GPS-tracking technique to locate bears after obtaining DNA samples.
The park determined transporting the bears from Spence Field — a distance of about 6 miles — to the facilities was not practical.
Park biologists attempted to attach a GPS-tracking collar to the first bear on May 13, but the 400-pound bear's neck was too large, according to the news release.
They were able to use the collar on the 200-pound bear captured and released on May 20.
"Bears are iconic symbols in the Smokies and a decision to euthanize an animal is not made lightly," Superintendent Cassius Cash said in a news release.
"Park staff have worked diligently over the last year to develop viable alternatives to euthanasia. Understandably, these options won't be appropriate responses for every bear incident. In the interest of responsibly protecting hiker safety in America's most visited national park, we make our decisions based on the best available information for each particular situation."
The decision to euthanize the 400-pound bear on May 13 was made based on a combination of factors, according to the park:
• The location of the shelter.
• Size and gender of the bear.
• The euthanized bear had a canine tooth injury consistent with the bite wound on the victim's leg.
• The first and only bear present near the scene of the attack. The bear was darted about 75 yards from where the attack occurred.
• Aggressive and repeated attempts by the bear to enter the hiker's tent.
• The hiker had properly stored his food on aerial food storage cables.
The park said it had recently had multiple incidents of bears ripping into tents in the backcountry.
It also said May and June are difficult for bears due to lack of abundant natural foods. Summer foods, primarily berries, will begin to ripen over the next several weeks and aggressive bear behavior is expected to decline.
Bear killed in April attack mauled Mich. girl in 2013
Hikers are reminded to take necessary precautions while in bear country including hiking in groups of two or more, carrying bear spray, complying with all backcountry closures, properly storing food regulations and remaining at safe viewing distance from bears at all times.
The Spence Field shelter remains closed, and wildlife staff continue to monitor the site for additional bear activity.
The park is the most popular in the country with more than 10.7 million visitors in 2015.
Its 522,427 acres straddle Tennessee and North Carolina with more than 850 miles of backcountry trails, more than 100 sites and shelters and around 400,000 backcountry hikers annually.
Follow the Knoxville (Tenn.) News Sentinel on Twitter: @knoxnews
Related videos:
Black bear spotted strolling through neighborhood
Mama bear carries cub with her mouth to cross busy road
Rescued bear cubs couldn't be more excited to get back to the wild