Alaska Bear Attack: 20-Year-Old Woman Mauled By Brown Bear While Jogging

A 20-year-old woman from Alaska has been hospitalized following a bear attack that has left her injured. The woman, identified as Gabbriele Markel, was attacked by a brown bear when she was jogging with her friend and coworker identified as 26-year-old Kaitlin Haley. The duo were out on a late night jogging trip when the bear attack happened, reports NBC News. The two friends were employees at the Alaska Wildland Adventures lodge and were three-quarters of a mile from the lodge when the bear attacked.

According to the report, the bear attack took place on a train along Skilak Lake, located around 50 miles south of Anchorage on Tuesday night. According to Kaitlin, the bear came out of a thick brush that was alongside the trail and immediately attacked Markel, throwing her to the ground. While the bear attacked, Haley ran back to the lodge to arrange for help, police spokeswoman Megan Peters said. Soon, she returned with a group of coworkers armed with bear spray. To their surprise, while on their way to the place of the bear attack, they saw an injured Markel walking back towards them. The bear had apparently fled before they could help.

Markel was given first aid after transporting her across the lake where emergency personnel awaited her. She was later quickly transported to Providence Hospital where she was reportedly recovering.. While there were injuries, nothing were of life-threatening nature, Peters confirmed.

“She didn’t appear to have life-threatening injuries at the time but they can turn life threatening. It’s always important to get them to the hospital as soon as possible.”, she added.

The bear attack was subsequently reported to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, a wildlife preserve in Alaska, by officials. This bear attack on Gabbriele is the first attack to be reported from the Kenai peninsula this year, confirmed Jeff Selinger, Kenai area wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The area averages two or three attacks annually. He went on to add that people visiting the area should always carry bear spray with them — even if they have walked the area several times and know the area well.

“Most of the attacks are surprise encounters, on both ends, “Or the sow (female bear) has cubs.”

Police, however, are still ascertaining the cause of Tuesday’s bear attack and are investigating if there was someone else on the trail earlier that could have provoked the animal.

“We don’t know if someone else was up on the trail beforehand and provoked it, Sometimes they aren’t clear.”

The Inquisitr had reported several bear attacks from Alaska earlier this year.

(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)