Yellowstone National Park: Woman found dead after suspected grizzly bear attack in Montana

A woman in the US has been found dead after a suspected grizzly bear attack in Yellowstone National Park. 

Officials from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the woman was found on Saturday (22 July) in Montana, on a trail west of the national park. 

The investigation is ongoing, but authorities found grizzly bear tracks at the scene. However, they did not confirm the cause of death in a statement on Sunday.

The area where the woman was found was immediately ordered closed by the rangers.

Deaths caused by grizzly bears are exceptionally rare. The department warned visitors of confirmed grizzly bear sightings throughout Montana "particularly in areas between the Northern Continental Divide and the Great Yellowstone ecosystems".

The warning urged anyone camping and visiting parks to carry bear spray, store food properly, and deal with rubbish "efficiently". 

The suspected attack comes amid concerns over the rising grizzly bear population in Montana and increasing sightings of the animal in the area.

Thanks to a successful recovery program, the state now has around 2,000 grizzly bears, which is second only to Alaska and almost four times more than neighbouring Wyoming, according to MFWP.

In July 2021, a grizzly attacked a person at a western Montana campground who died later died of their injuries. In April the same year, a guide was killed by a grizzly bear while he was fishing near Yellowstone national park border.

A grizzly bear was found dead near the area of Yellowstone Park that lies in Wyoming earlier this year.