Florida Boy Was “Stalked As Prey”
August 19, 2008
Last week I reported that an 8-year old boy from Florida had been attacked by a black bear in the Smoky Mountain National Forest. His father had to fight the bear off, both suffering from cuts and bruises but fortunately no serious physical injuries occurred.
In my report last week I also made mention that another report made the repeated claim that bear attacks are rare. Well, here’s something even rarer. It appears that park officials are stating that the 8-year old, Evan Pala, was stocked as prey by the bear.
The black bear that attacked an 8-year-old Florida boy in Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week “stalked the boy as prey,” park officials said Monday.
Most people also don’t know that in the past 10 years, bears in Smoky Mountain National Park have injured people 8 times, killing one.
A lot of people visit that park but people need to be made aware that provoked or not, bears are there and they can and will meet with your acquaintance. Be prepared.
Tom Remington
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How is attempting to educate people that they need to be aware of the fact that bears are out there? I have no agenda about bears and hunting or any such on this. I think it is a bit irresponsible for park people along with the media to continually perpetuate that bear attacks are rare. They are the ones with the agenda for fear people will stop coming to the park.
Nowhere have I said that people are not safe going to parks or in the woods. All I have ever done is express that a bit more effort on the part of the parks and the media to inform people that events like this do happen. I just don’t see that happening.
People need to wake up, you go “play” in the woods, you take a chance to get hurt. 8 attacks in 10 years, not bad in my opinion.