Grizzly Mauls Girl During Bike Race
By: Web Producer
Updated: June 30, 2008
Teenage Girl Mauled By Grizzly During Bike Race
(Anchorage, AK) -- A teenage Alaska girl is in the hospital after a grizzly bear attacked her during a 24-hour bike ride.
The "Chicago Tribune" reports the girl was among 60 people taking part in the race which was set to run from noon Saturday until noon Sunday local time.
She was found in the early hours of the Sunday morning.
Police say the girl was able to dial 911 when she was left cut up and bitten but could not talk.
Another cyclist found her before police arrived on the scene and said the victim could only murmur the word "bear." Wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott says the bear was probably surprised by the girl and it attacked her unintentionally.
He stressed it was a dangerous place for her to be with an abundance of salmon in a nearby stream.
The girl suffered bite wounds to the head, torso and thigh and has a punctured lung cavity.
The bear has not been found but it is thought to be the same bear that charged two runners about two weeks ago.
(Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions)
RNS-06-30-08 0252CDT
