A woman was attacked by a brown bear on Saturday while hiking with a friend and three dogs near a state park in Alaska, authorities said.The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover, the Anchorage Police Department (APD) said Sunday.The attack happened late afternoon near the Bear Valley residential neighborhood, adjacent to Chugach State Park in south Anchorage, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) said in a separate statement on Monday.TERRIFIED HIKERS FACE NIGHTMARE SURVIVAL SCENARIO AFTER HEART-POUNDING GRIZZLY BEAR ENCOUNTERA brown bear moves through dense vegetation near Chugach State Park in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday.(Anchorage Police Department)Officials said the hikers were on an unofficial, user-made trail that climbs a steep hillside in a zigzag pattern.
The area was heavily overgrown with dense vegetation, which created poor visibility and increased the risk of surprising wildlife, ADF&G said."The bear came out of the dense alders, made brief contact with one of the hikers, and left the scene," ADF&G said.One of the victim's dogs was also off leash during the encounter and became separated from the group, according to the authorities.Another group of hikers later found the "uninjured dog and brought it back to safety, ultimately returning it to its home," ADF&G said.HIDDEN DANGER AT POPULAR US NATIONAL PARK FORCES TRAIL CLOSURES AS BEAR SIGHTINGS CLIMBAerial police footage captures a brown bear navigating thick alders near Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday following a sudden encounter with hikers.
(Anchorage Police Department)According to wildlife officials, bears are known to cache and defend food sources this time of year and noted reports that at least one moose had recently been killed nearby.High winds and poor weather may have also led the bear to be surprised by the group of hikers."High winds and inclement weather conditions at the time of the encounter may have increased the chance tha...