A teenager celebrating the end of the school year by hiking with his friends ended up surviving a terrifying bear attack on a Washington trail. Nolely Pina describes how a black bear charged him and his two friends while they were hiking on the Mt. Si trail. The bear scratched him, and the confrontation continued for about a half-hour after Pina became separated from his friends. Thankfully, Pina told local news that he came across another hike, who helped him get out.
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The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recapped the incident in a press release, saying:
“At approximately 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, WDFW Police received a call from Northeast King County Dispatch of an individual requesting aid as a result of a black bear incident. Three hikers were approximately 2.7 miles up the Mt. Si trail at Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area when a black bear charged the group and swiped at one of the hikers. A teenage boy received scratches from the black bear. Multiple Fish and Wildlife Police Officers along with King County Search and Rescue (KCSAR) responded to the scene. KCSAR transported the victim out to receive aid, and he was transported to a local hospital.”
[RELATED: Mother Bear Attacks Trail Runner in British Columbia]
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife infers the bear may have been protecting its cub. The press release states that a second group of hikers reported seeing a black bear with a cub near the trail the same day. Officials attempted to locate the bear but were unable to, and the department says it will not make any additional efforts to find it.
See an interview with Pina about the bear attack on a Washington trail below (or watch it here).
Header stock image by Kirk Fisher/Getty Images
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