YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo.
Word spread quickly through Yellowstone National Park about a fatal grizzly bear mauling - the park's first in 25 years - but few visitors at the height of tourist season seemed inclined to change their vacations because of the news.
Thousands of people streamed into the park Thursday, a day after a 57-year-old California man was attacked and killed by a female bear on a backcountry trail. Officials said the sow was only defending its cubs, had not threatened humans before, and would be left to wander the wilderness.
"This is bear country," said Elizabeth Hoffman, a tourist from California who agreed with park officials' decision not to hunt the bear. "It's got babies. If someone came after a human mother, I don't think that we'd take her from her children."
Cars jammed Yellowstone's roadways for wildlife spottings, including a 20-minute delay while motorists gawked at two black bear cubs romping in a field while their mother rooted around in the grass nearby.
By late Thursday, most tourists seemed to know about the attack. Desk clerks at hotels inside the park told arrivals that there had been a bear incident. Worried relatives called or texted other visitors. And some were surprised that rangers didn't let them know when they entered the park that one popular destination - access to iconic Artist Point - had been temporarily closed.
"They didn't say one word about it at the gate," said Leslie Finch, who was visiting with her husband and two children from Missoula, Mont. "I would have thought they'd say this area is closed. But they didn't say anything."
The attack highlighted the potential dangers, however rare, that face tourists who come in record numbers each year to a park known for its burgeoning bear population and the Old Faithful geyser.
Whenever there is a run-in or attack involving bears, park officials must decide whether the attack was defensive or an act of aggression. In Wednesday's mauling, they based their conclusion on the account of the hiker's wife, who survived, as well as their knowledge of bear behavior.
Brian and Marylyn Matayoshi, of Torrance, Calif., were hiking in a backcountry meadow along a trail a mile and a half from the trailhead when they spotted the bear foraging about 100 yards away. The couple immediately turned and began walking away, officials said.
The grizzly charged and attacked Brian Matayoshi, then went for his wife, who ran for cover behind a tree. The grizzly lifted her off the ground by the day pack she was wearing and then dropped her.
She tried to call 911 on her cell phone, but couldn't get a signal. Other hikers in the area responded to her cries for help and managed to get through to emergency officials.
Marylyn Matayoshi told rescuers that the couple surprised the sow, its cubs nearby - one of the most dangerous situations possible for humans encountering grizzlies. Park officials believe the grizzly had two six-month-old cubs, based on previous sightings in the area and cub tracks where the attack occurred.