The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will tighten procedures for responding to bear incidents and change the way it educates visitors about bears in the wake of an investigation into the May 21, 2000, bear attack fatality within the park’s borders.

The final board of inquiry report on the attack was released March 19 and calls for minor modifications in the park’s procedures. It recommends educating visitors about how to respond to various types of bear encounters.

Glenda Ann Bradley was attacked near Elkmont Campground while her ex-husband was fishing in a nearby stream. According to the report and evidence gathered during the investigation, Bradley apparently began running when she encountered the two bears, a mother and her yearling cub. The first ranger on the scene did not observe the bears feeding on Bradley’s body, although they were guarding it as if it were prey. With only a handgun, he waited for a backup ranger to come to the scene.

When the backups arrived, they did see the bears apparently feeding on the arms and head of Bradley. Two rangers used their sidearms to fire a total of 19 rounds into the two animals, killing both. The final autopsy report confirmed that Bradley’s was the result of an attack by the two bears.

According to the report, on May 18 two hikers in the same area had also encountered a sow and a juvenile cub. The sow came to within five feet of the female, who began to run. Her companion shouted at her to stop running, and the sow stopped chasing her when she stopped running.

There were also some reports that a third, larger bear had been seen in the area and may have participated in the May 21 attack. Cameras and bait stations were set up, and a third bear was photographed in the campground several days later. Rangers did not believe it was involved in the Bradley incident.

The inquiry board found the rangers’ response was appropriate. The death, the first by a black bear in the history of the Park Service, will lead to additions to the bear management guidelines in the park handbook. New materials for the public about how to respond to bear encounters will be printed, and backcountry signs will also be updated.

Highlands Country Club, town go to court over zoning issue
Highlands Country Club (HCC) has filed an appeal regarding a town zoning board ruling with the Macon County Superior Court.

Town Administrator, Richard Betz said that the dispute was over additional employee housing the club wanted to build. The probably building site, which already contains employee housing, was rezoned in 1990 and the existing housing was grandfathered in.

In the Highlander newspaper, zoning administrator Maureen Lackey said that the part of the zoning code that applied, section 201.C, was very explicit. She said it permitted “administrative offices, clubhouses, storage buildings and other facilities customarily associated with such uses.”

Part of HCC’s case is based on the term “customarily.” They feel that since housing already exists at the site and since it has been customary for HCC to provide employee housing for over 60 years, that the appeal has merit.

Regardless of the outcome neither the town’s nor HCC’s regular attorney will be involved. Coward, Hicks and Siler represent both entities and had to excuse themselves from the case.

Betz said that town attorney Bill Coward will present recommendations for counsel at the March 21 town meeting.

 

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The Smoky Mountain News