Arkansas officials killed a bear earlier this month, thinking it was the one that mauled a man at a campground, but DNA testing revealed it was the wrong animal.
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission personnel killed the black bear in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest in the northwest part of the state, on Oct. 4. Officials believed, based on photographic evidence and the bear’s size and characteristics, that it was involved in the death of Max Thomas, 60.
The Missourian was found dead two days before at the Sam’s Throne Campground after his family reported him missing. An autopsy revealed he was mauled to death.
As it turned out, the DNA of the bear killed by officials didn’t match the bear DNA found on Thomas.
Hence, the bear that mauled Thomas is still on the loose, and the Sam’s Throne Campground has remained closed.
Only one bear has been spotted on cameras set up in the area since Thomas was found, and no bears have been caught in traps set up nearby, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said.
“While we are disappointed that the initial search did not neutralize the threat, our commitment to public safety remains paramount. We acted decisively based on the best evidence available at the time, and now that we have definitive forensic data, we are adjusting our strategy. Our teams will continue to work tirelessly to find the bear,” commission Director Doug Schoenrock said.
Newton County Sheriff Glenn Wheeler, whose office is also trying to find the bear that killed Thomas, said, “It’s disappointing to learn that we haven’t gotten the right bear, both due to public safety concerns and for another step towards closure for a grieving family. Having said that, I would do the same thing all over again if we felt we had the correct bear. Human life still takes precedence.”
