Black Bear Mauls 8-Year-Old Boy
Boy Survives; Father Is Injured Defending Son In Attack At Tennessee National Park
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Photo
A black bear (iStockphoto)
Park rangers later killed a bear matching the description of the one in the attack.
Park spokesman Bob Miller says the incident began around 7:30 p.m. Monday when the bear approached Evan Pala of Boca Raton, Florida, while he was playing in a creek. Miller says the bear attacked the boy, was driven off and came back a second time.
Miller says the father was able to drive the bear off with rocks and sticks.
The boy suffered some puncture wounds that were serious but not believed to be life-threatening. The father, John Pala, suffered several cuts during the attack.
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See all 81 CommentsPosted by Nancy_Naive at 05:52 AM : Jul 21, 2008 (taken from another bear related article)
No, most of us know that. Bacteria and perhaps Plankton are at the very end of the food chain. I think you meant that we are not at the very top of the food chain. The top is where the predators /meat eaters are.
Posted by navpro at 08:36 AM : Aug 12, 2008
Other than to stay out of the woods, there is no common sense tactics for avoiding bears--if they can and want to, they will attempt to enter cabins.
And the description was A BLACK BEAR! Sounds to me like they killed one at random to pacify some people.
"Yes sir, he attacked me!"
"What did he look like?"
"He was black, lots of hair and big!"
"Ok, we''ll find him! this should be easy- that''s a rare and unique profile!"
Stay the hel1 out of the bear''s habitat you idiots!
Look you tree huggers - they were in a park - people SHOULD go to parks - it''s probably the favorite hangout to smoke pot for most of you hippies - but sometimes, there''s a confrontation with an animal...
Liberals - could give a cr*p about an 8 year old boy... but weep inconsolably because some bear got killed - what is WRONG with you people?
Posted by elukacek
This attack is highly unusual, especially from a black bear. Maybe it had rabies or something. Other than swimming pools, there is danger everywhere you swim. Sharks in the ocean, gators down south, bears, poisonous snakes, snappers most other places. In most cases, the animals encountered try to go the other way. It appears from your comment you must be from the city. If that''s the case, your fear is somewhat understandable.
I hope his recovery goes swiftly. I really hate seeing the kids come to harm.
***And where was his mother? Probably yacking it up on a cell phone somewhere no doubt.
Posted by GOP_forever at 09:01 AM : Aug 12, 2008***
That''s funny right there, I don''t care who you are!
Naw it''s bush and cheney''s fault
Posted by mike071067 at
No, no, no, Mike- haven''t you been paying attention? This is all George Bush''s fault. He''s responsible for absolutely EVERYTHING that happens that someone doesn''t like, right?
Posted by Hwy71So at 10:01 AM : Aug 12, 2008
Hey Larry, the cable guy,,how are ya? LOL
Then they now have gambling on the east side in Cherokee.
The main road through the park gets twenty million visitors per year because there is no park entry fee*.
When you pay $30 to go through the gates of Yellowstone, you are also paying for another guy to go through the Smokies.
Trying to get through that area can be like a city traffic jam at times. The road has entirely too much traffic and most of the tags are not from NC or TN. I was there many times in the 60''s and 70''s and it was so peaceful and not crowded at all. I wish it were like that now.
SOLUTION: Either limit daily entries into the park or change legislation to start charging a fee for people that are not residents of NC or TN.
*This fee would be illegal under the current agreement where the states of TN & NC gave land to the park service with the stipulation that no fees shall be charged to travel the road.
I suppose out of sight is out of mind. When I am in back country, I stop, look, listen, often and try to be very aware of my surroundings.
By killing nuisance bears, it seems that park officials are trying to speed up evolution and create a race of cowardly bears just to accommodate greedy and disrespectful humans.
If they are not careful, a lot of those bears might end up being gay (jolly).
I don''t think Teddy''s idea of the national park system included user fees to visit them. He wanted our citizens to enjoy and use the parks. Being an avid outdoors man, Teddy wanted the parks for all to enjoy and knowing industrialists, he wanted land preserved for it''s natural beauty.
It would seem our government has it''s priorities a little mixed up when it comes to the general public. You know, the ones who pay the brunt of the taxes...
It is unfortunate the boy was mauled and I am hoping he makes a full recovery. Hopefully he learned a very great lesson and this incident won''t keep him from returning to the forests.
"''Dear Stephen, why aren%u2019t you nicer to bears? I like them a lot! They make me laugh my head off. Love, Joshua.'' Like a lot of kids, Joshua has been misled about bears. They won%u2019t make you laugh your head off, they''ll tear your head off."
%u2014Stephen Colbert, reading a fan letter on his show, The Colbert Report
...But today I see this in the Toronto Globe and Mail %u2014 apparently a 700-pound polar bear showed up at a children%u2019s hockey game. I%u2019ve said this before, they%u2019re after our kids %u2014 they%u2019re tender, juicy, you don%u2019t even have to throw away the bones."
%u2014Stephen Colbert, on his show, The Colbert Report
"Hey cbsfan73, what are our taxes paying for then?"
Go to Wikipedia and search for:
United States federal budget, 2008
National parks collect funds from park use fees and from sales inside the parks.
I kinda like the usage fee. If I go, I pay, if I don''t go, I don''t pay.
"Why did they have to mention the bear''''s race???"
To keep from accidentally shooting Yogi or Boo Boo.
I kinda like the usage fee. If I go, I pay, if I don''''t go, I don''''t pay.
cbsfan73, though I haven''t read the Wikipedia article, I still bet a portion of our taxes are going to the parks.
Speaking of races,,,
"cbsfan73, though I haven''''t read the Wikipedia article, I still bet a portion of our taxes are going to the parks."
Seems that you are right. I had heard that after 1997 the parks would be operated by fees. But apparently some funds are still appropriated by the federal government.
http://home.nps.gov/applications/budget2/npsbud.htm
"I don''''t think Teddy''''s idea of the national park system included user fees to visit them. He wanted our citizens to enjoy and use the parks. Being an avid outdoors man, Teddy wanted the parks for all to enjoy and knowing industrialists, he wanted land preserved for it''''s natural beauty."
Getting back to the meaty stuff:
Teddy didn''t foresee fifty-five thousand people a day passing through this park.
I look at it the same way biologists look at thinning a deer herd or maintaining a certain number of bears per square mile.
The same should apply to humans too, and there should be limits.
Posted by crazycwp
What''s so stupid about going in the woods? These black bear attacks are rare occurrences. It''s like telling somebody that gets in a car accident they were stupid for driving, which by the way you have more chances of getting killed. I guess you consider people who swim in the ocean stupid too?
"well it was black.. and a bear, it had a picnic basket and it answered to Yogi"
Quit YELLING,,,sheeeeezzz!
"OF COURSE HUMAN ERROR AND IGNORANCE WAS NOT TO BLAME FOR THE ATTACK. WHO WOULD LET THEIR 8 YEAR-OLD PLAY WITHOUT BEING RIGHT BESIDE THEM ? IT''''S A SHAME WE ARE INVADING THEIR TERRITORY, BUT THE BEARS MUST DIE WHEN TOURISTS ARE STUPID!!!! MANKIND IS SO SELFISH ."
Was or was not?
The problem with people in the woods is they feed wild animals. People think it''s cute to feed the bear but all they''re doing is giving it a death sentence. For once the bear becomes unafraid of humans and uses them to rummage for food, then they get shot.
Posted by cbsfan73 at 04:11 PM : Aug 12, 2008
Was or was not,,,What? Esplain yourself,,
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