Officials say a polar bear that killed a young mother and her baby Jan. 17 in western Alaska was likely an older animal in poor physical condition
killed a young mother and her baby
Dr. Kimberlee Beckmen, a state wildlife veterinarian, collected and examined samples from the bear's head the day afterThe results of her analysis, which were released Friday, indicate the bear was an adult male, probably older and in poor physical health. Officials sent a tooth to a lab to determine the bear's age, but those results won’t be known for months.
“There is no definitive explanation as to why the bear was in poor body condition,” the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said in a joint statement. School employees attempted to stop the attack by hitting the bear with shovels, but it turned on them and chased as they went back inside for safety. The principal slammed the door to keep the bear out of the school, which was in session.first fatal polar bear attack in Alaska in three decadesPolar bears are the largest bear species, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Males typically weigh 600 to 1,200 pounds but can be more than 1,700 pounds and reach up to 10 feet in length.
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