Mother, 1-year-old son killed in Alaska polar bear attack

Polar bears are at the top of the food chain, and see humans as a food source, officials said.

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United States ,Alaska ,Washington ,Virginia ,Anchorage ,Saint Michael ,Russia ,Unalakleet ,Bering Strait ,American ,Clyde Ongtowasruk ,Joseph Jessup Mcdermott ,Andrew Derocher ,Susan Nedza ,Beaufort Sea ,University Of Alberta ,World Wildlife Fund ,Wildlife Service ,Management Council ,Associated Press ,Polar Bear International ,Alaska Nannut Co ,Bering Strait School District ,Examiner Office ,Us Geological ,Alaska Native ,North American ,Anchorage Daily News ,Principal Dawn Hendrickson ,Alaska State Troopers ,Virginia Washington ,Geoff York ,Polar Bear ,State Medical Examiner ,Endangered Species Act ,Marine Mammal Protection ,Alaska Nannut Co Management Council ,Jessup Mcdermott ,Chukchi Sea ,A Polar Bear Chased Several Residents Arounda Tiny ,Solated Alaska Native Whaling Village ,Illinga Mother And Her 1 Year Old Son In An Extremely Rare Attack Before Another Community Member Shot Killed The Bear ,Uthorities Said The Fatal Mauling ,He First In More Than 30 Years Alaska ,Appened Tuesday Next To The Front Entrance Of School In Wales ,N Isolated Bering Strait Coastal Community Located On The Westernmost Tip Of North American Mainland About 50 Miles 80 Kilometers From Russia That Is No Stranger To Coexisting With Polar Bears School Officials Rushed People Into Building After Bear Was Spotted ,Ering Strait School District Chief Administrator Susan Nedza Told The Anchorage Daily News From Her Office In Unalakleet Bear Tried To Enter With Them ,Edza Said ,Ut Principal Dawn Hendrickson Slammed The Door To Keep It Out Its Terrifying Not Something You Re Ever Prepared For ,Aid Nedza ,Ho Didnt Return Messages To The Associated Press On Wednesday School District Officials Pulled Shades In And Locked Down Building They Eventually Got Word Out That Needed Someone Take Care Of Bear Summer Myomick Saint Michael Her Son ,Ere Killed In The Attack ,Laska State Troopers Said Ina Statement Myomicks Parents Declined Interviews With The Associated Press When Reached Wednesday At Their Home Its Very ,Ery Sad For Saint Michael Right Now ,End Wales ,Aid Virginia Washington ,He Saint Michael City Administrator She Said Myomick Split Time Between The Two Communities Wasa Very Sweet Lady Was Responsible ,Ashington Said Like Many Far Flung Alaska Villages ,He Predominantly Inupiaq Community Of Roughly 150 People In Wales Has Organized Patrols When The Bears Are Expected Town ,Rom Roughly December To May ,Aid Geoff York ,He Senior Director Of Conservation At Polar Bear International The Last Fatal Encounter In Alaska Was 1990 Poor Weather And No Runway Lights Wales Gravel Air Strip Prevented Troopers Wildlife Officials From Traveling There Tuesday To Investigate Attack ,Ut They Made It Wednesday The Investigation Showed Myomick And Ongtowasruk Were Walking Between School Anda Clinic When Bear Attacked Them ,Ccording Toa Statement From The State Troopers Remains Of Mother And Son Were Transported To Medical Examiners Office For Autopsy ,Roopers Added When Asked To Describe The Mood In Wales On Wednesday ,Hendrickson ,The School Principal ,Alled It Traumatic Classes Were Canceled ,Nd Counselors Were Being Made Available She Said There Have Been No Announcements For Memorials The Two Victims Yet We Are Still In Beginning Phase ,Aid Hendrickson ,Ho Spoke To The Ap Earlier In Day But Didnt Detail Polar Bear Attempting Breach School Its Unclear If Attack Was Related Climate Change ,Ut Its Consistent With What Is Expected As The Arctic Continues To Warm ,Hanging The Ecosystem In Ways That Are Still Not Fully Understood ,Ork Said However ,His Particular Bear Wasa Member Ofa Population That Is Doing Fairly Well ,Aid Andrew Derocher ,A Professor Of Biological Sciences At The University Alberta And An Expert On Polar Bears Alaska Scientists Us Geological Survey In 2019 Found Changes Sea Ice Habitat Had Coincided With Evidence That Use Land Was Increasing Chances Ofa Bear Encounter Increased Wales Is Just Over 100 Miles 161 Kilometers Northwest Nome Community Accessible By Plane Boats ,Ncluding Barges That Deliver Household Goods Winter Trails Provide Access On Snowmobiles To Other Communities And Subsistence Hunting Grounds Atvs Are Used For Non Fishing Trips Polar Bears The Largest Bear Species ,Ccording To The Us Fish And Wildlife Service Males Can Weigh More Than 1 ,700 Pounds 771 Kilograms ,Ut Typically Weigh 600 To 1 ,200 Pounds 272 544 Kilograms And Reach Up To 10 Feet 3 Meters In Length Females Weigh 400 700 181 318 Polar Bears Generally Feed On Seals But Also Prey Walruses Beluga Whales Were Listed Asa Threatened Species Under The Endangered Act 2008 They Are Protected Marine Mammal Protection Both Laws Prohibit Harming Animals Without Authorization ,Nless Necessary For Human Safety Polar Bears Are At The Top Of Food Chain ,Nd See Humans Asa Food Source ,Ork Said Fatal Polar Bear Encounters Usually Involve Young Bears ,Sually Males ,Ho Are Hungry All The Time ,R Older Bears Who Are Injured Or Ill And Having Difficulty Getting Enough Calories Both Of Those Bear Types More Likely To Take Risks ,Ike We Saw Here In Wales ,Ork Said Unlike Brown Or Black Bears ,Olar Bears Do Not Hibernate In The Winter Only Pregnant Females Enter Snow Dens ,Nd Thats Only For Reproduction All The Other Polar Bears Are Out ,Ypically On Sea Ice Where Their Prey Is Available Year Round The Alaska Nannut Co Management Council ,Hich Was Created To Represent The Collective Alaska Native Voice In Polar Bear Co Management ,N Its Website Says Polar Bears Near Or Entering Villages Represent Ongoing Safety Concerns For Communities Within Bear Territory Joseph Jessup Mcdermott ,Xecutive Director Of The Alaska Nannut Co Management Council ,Hich Represents Tribes That Have Hunted Polar Bears For Subsistence ,Aid The Bear Patrol In Wales Is Not Currently Active Because It Essentially Lost What Funding Had Organization Has Been Working With World Wildlife Fund And Other Partners To Restore Program ,Cdermott Said The Bear Was Froma Population In Chukchi Sea That Is Faring Well Amid Climate Change ,Erocher Said That Means The Attack Could Be Result Ofa Bear Lured By Attractants Such As Food Or Garbage Polar Bears Of Southern Beaufort Sea ,Ast Of The Chukchi Sea Population ,Re In Worse Shape ,Erocher Said In This Case ,Ven Though There Is Ice In The Chukchi And Northern Bering Seas ,He Quality Of That Ice Is Not Well Known More Importantly ,Ork Said They Dont Know Whats Going On Under The Ice Or What Availability Of Seals And Other Prey Is For Polar Bears ,Mother , Year Old Son Killed In Alaska Polar Bear Attack ,