An investigation into a fatal grizzly bear mauling of a man just outside Yellowstone National Park earlier this year found that the bear might have been defending a moose carcass - even charging at rescuers and investigators - because it recently fought off another grizzly to protect it.
According to the report on the deadly attack, Charles "Carl" Mock, 40, of West Yellowstone, died on April 17 of injuries sustained in the April 15 attack.
"The tragic event of Mr. Mock being attacked by an adult male grizzly bear and subsequently dying from the attack was the direct result of Mr. Mock’s own purposeful or random placed proximity to a moose carcass that an adult male bear had cached and was actively feeding on," the report said.
The 411-pound bear was shot and killed on April 16 when it charged investigators who had returned to the scene.
Mock, who was on the phone with dispatchers for 49 minutes trying to give them exact details of where he was, told them he was taking pictures.
According to the report, a camera was found at the scene and was placed in Mock's vehicle, then a friend of Mock's took possession of the camera.
Investigators did not have the opportunity to examine the camera at the time. When they could view the memory card on April 17, there were no pictures from the Baker’s Hole area or on the day of the attack, the report stated.
