Jones Point Trail in Haines remains closed after a bear attack on Monday. The victim says she startled the bear, who jumped on her, then immediately ran away.
Haines resident Sue Libenson told the Chilkat Valley News that she surprised a sow and its cub on the narrow trail.
“It didn’t try to kill me. It wasn’t an attack,” Libenson said from her hospital bed in Juneau. Libenson suffered broken ribs and back wounds.
After the incident, Libenson walked away, eventually coming across someone she knew, who drove her home.
Haines Police Chief Jimmy Yoakum said dispatch received a third party report on Monday afternoon that a female jumped into bushes to avoid a bear. An officer went and checked the area.
About four hours later, another third party called and described the incident as an attack. Police waited to speak with Libenson until the following morning because she was receiving care at the local clinic.
Yoakum said the police department is working with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Alaska Wildlife Troopers to pinpoint the location of the incident. Game cameras have been installed. And Yoakum said Libenson’s clothing was sent to Fish and Game for DNA testing, which is standard protocol.
Yoakum said the police are not wildlife management. He said once they locate the mother bear, “we’ll consult with Fish and Game and Wildlife Troopers to decide what to do. That’s really their call, not ours.”
This is the second bear attack in Haines in less than a month. Yoakum reminds the public to practice basic bear safety. That includes traveling in groups and minimizing bear attractants in cars and outside buildings.
