Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials hope results of an autopsy on a backpacker whose body was being scavenged by a black bear will tell whether the man was killed by the bear.
The necropsy on the bear found last September near the body of Patrick Madura, 43, of Elgin, Illinois, determined it was a healthy, year-old, 231-pound animal.
Madura was on a multi-day backpack in the park that straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border and had reserved backcountry campsite 82 for the night of September 8, park officials said. Three days later, backpackers coming down the trail spotted his unoccupied tent, and then noticed a black bear scavenging his remains.
The hikers quickly left to obtain cell coverage and report the incident to the authorities. Law enforcement rangers and wildlife officers reached the campsite shortly after midnight, confirmed the report of a deceased adult human male, and killed a bear seen scavenging on the remains.
The ensuing necropsy determined that "(T)here is no evidence of underlying disease in the bear."
At the national park, Dana Soehn said autopsy results on the backpacker still hadn't been received.
"We are waiting on the autopsy and an assessment of cause of death to be able to close out this case," she said Monday in an email. "Until the autopsy comes back, it is unknown whether the bear was responsible for the death of the individual or if it was simply feeding on him after he died."
Great Smoky is home to an estimated 1,500 bears. Very few bears exhibit aggressive behavior towards humans. Wildlife biologists and park rangers work hard to prevent bears from becoming food-conditioned or habituated to high-use areas. Out of an abundance of caution for the park's 11 million park visitors, park staff implement aversive-conditioning techniques and, on rare occasions, euthanize individual bears that pose a threat to visitor safety.
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Comments
The guy could have been stalking the bear with a camera and gotten too close. He could have been doing any of the stupid things that many idiots do in National Parks. It's amazing that more people aren't killed by trying to hug or take a photo of a wild animal. Just killing a bear because it MAY have killed someone when it is not acting aggresively seems unnecessay to me. It's the bear's home we are intruders. The NPS should be more aggressive about removing people from places where they have been warned not to go or behaving in ways they have been told not to behave. Get their IDs add all the information to a database and ban the morons from all national parks for five years. If they have a pass, take it. Then give entry rangers an iPad with the routinely updated database on it and do not let the offender in a national park for 5 years. Also put the routinely updated database online with only the person's name, city and state visable so that the entire world will know who to avoid due to potentially fatal stupidity OR just let natural selection continue to cull the human species. I am soooooooo tired of fools...
Sanctimony surpassed only by lack of compassion
Patricia I respect your opinion, but Patrick was far from stupid or a fool. He was extremely intelligent, an avid outdoorsman and a conservationalist. Our family is still devasted from this tragedy.
I worked with Patrick at Popular Automotive and he was extremely intelligent! So sorry for your terrible loss. I rmember when he left to go on this excursion.
A Man is dead, while enjoying his natural resources. He was in his Designated camping area, there is no mention of photography equipment. Any time a Animal feeds on a human, they are destroyed. As to not get into a habit of feeding on humans. That His policy, and it's policy for very good reason. God gave humans the ability to rule over animals, it sounds like you don't like your own species, and project human qualities on animals. Like it or not animals think two ways, and only two ways. Can I eat it or can it eat me.
And reading your response I doubt that you read the article, and if you did you certainly didn't comprehend it. A man has lost to his family forever, taking part in an event that supposed to be safe. And although the bear said on his remains, the cause of death has not been released. Because it is of the supernatural realm, therefore not easy to explain. You should re-read this article with caution, as events like that couldn't happen to you or your loved ones.
They killed the bear cuz it had tasted human flesh and would likely associate people as food after this. Victim blaming at its finest right here, before any FACTS are divulged by the autopsy. Smh
Wow...you have a lot to say about a man you know nothing about. But thanks for calling someones loved one who died tragically a 'fool'.
Just to clarify, Patrick has been going to those mountains most of his life. He was an avid hiker, well versed in being in bear country, incredibly safe and followed all the rules. I'd also like to point out nowhere, in any article, or otherwise, does it state that Patrick was killed by a bear, only that a bear was scavenging his dead remains. Incidentally, since you spoke of the killing of the bear...the bear killed was actually actively scavenging on his remains when authorities arrived...if you can't understand why such a bear would have to be euthanized, I would encourage you to educate yourself. Rather than just spew blather about your 'opinion' of what really happened and insult a dead man, maybe you should consider that perhaps this man had a medical emergency and died, or maybe someone killed him and left him there for the animals...maybe he could have had a fall and hit his head and died. The point is, you have zero idea of what or who you are talking about. I recommend knowing before speaking.
I knew Patrick, he would never do anything to approach or antagonize a bear. He had a masters in biology, and had a tremendous respect for nature. You are the idiot for assuming that all bear attacks are due to human stupidity. Nature is nature, things happen. Patrick Madura was no fool.
WOW. Lot of assumptions. Must be nice to be a know it all.
What an incredibly stupid thing to say. This may well have been a classic predatory black bear attack and Mr. Madura was likely doing nothing wrong. How arrogant this poster is!
So the previous commenter suggests letting park bears prey on park visitors. Hmmm. I'm sure the public and politicians would accept that, no problem. Yes, the victim could have done those things the commenter described, or he could have been the victim of a predatory bear. Or he might have died of natural causes and the bear did what cam naturally. Either way, the bear fed on a human and the risk is way too high to let the bear go about its business. What would the parents of a child snatched by this bear say when they heard of this tragedy, not to mention a huge lawsuit for gross negligence on the part of the NPS. No one wants to kill a park bear, but sometimes events dictate that as the best solution.
I live in Gatlinburg and frankly, I think the bears should have free reign on prey on park visitor. I'm not being sarcastic or trolling, but we are in their home, not the other way around. If a bear kills a human, it is never their fault. If a child is snatched by a bear, do you know who's fault it is? The parents. If you don't like it, leave.
What I want to know is why in the world is an autopsy taking 6 months?
I too can't understand how it can take over six months to complete this investigation.Our family cannot have closure until this is over.We miss our son every day!
I am sorry for your loss.
God bless you so sorry for your families loss and detestation.
Never heard of an autopsy taking 6 months.
Patrick was an experienced outdoorsman and familiar with the trail. He had a masters in biology and worked in ecological restoration. He knew what he was doing when it came to bears.
I am so sorry for the loss of your family member. Such a tragedy no matter the circumstance. My prayers are with the family of this young man who is gone too soon. May you find comfort in your memories of him.
My condolences to your family.. So very sorry❤
I stayed at campsite 82 with my oldest son (14 yrs) in midJuly and have been following this story. I am extremely sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine. One of the things that jumped out at me about campsite 82 other than the natural beauty and the sound of the creek flowing past the tent was the number of bees. This was mid-July but I got stung a couple of times preparing dinner. Was Patrick by any chance allergic to bee stings? Most backpackers have their close call stories--lightning, a broken bone, dislocated shoulder, hornet nest, hopothermia, rattelsnake curled up a your feet, etc. Once I started taking my own children on longer trips, I began taking a satellite phone just in case there was an emergency. This was something I wouldn't even have thought of doing for longer solo strips when I was younger. There are plenty of black bears in the GSMNP. Euthanizing this one was the correct decision. I hope/pray Patrick passed peacesfully.
What a tradgedy for everyone involved. To the family, I am so very sorry for your loss, my heart goes out to you. For the bear, I am also very sorry. But I understand that it needed to be done. Especially since Patrick's background suggests that it is very unlikely that he did anything to provoke an attack, or that he was in any way ignorant of the wildlife around him.
As my Father has already pointed out, we think of Patrick everyday and miss him more than we can ever put into words. To the people who have commented and expressed their concern and sent their thoughts and prayers to our family, thank you. To the other comments from the "Monday Quaterbacks", I hope you never have to go through the hell that my family has had to endure the last several months. Especially from the relentless press. I am the only family member that has been in close contact with the Park Rangers throughout this process I cannot express how grateful I am for the Rangers continued support and professionism. When the timing is right, I will make an official announcment on behalf of my family. Until then, I will have no other comment. Thank you for your understanding.
So sorry to the family of this hiker. Glad they will at least receive answers.
Some people have nothing better to do than make STUPID and IODIOTIC comments. Some people strive to be relevant by any means necessary, even on tragic stories as this, sad world we live in today!!!
Rest in peace Patrick Madura , prayers for your family. Unfortunately things like this can happen when we go into the forest and enjoy our natural resources, that's just the chance we take. I totally agree with the action taken with the bear, as there is no way to take the chance that it ,after making that connection would not wonder into someone's yard with people outside and attack someone. Seems Mr. Madura in his passing was doing what he loved and to me there is a certain solace in that.
I hope that after all findings are said and done that they are published as they can be talked and discussed about and learned from. In Mr. Madura's honor we have to be diligent to help protect and save our natural resources as it is getting harder year after year , especially with the way humans act this day in age!!