Yellowstone saw 4 million visitors in 2020 and recorded zero fatal bear attacks, while the park logged 72 confirmed bear attacks on humans between 1979 and 2022. The statistics map where encounters occur, how defensive behavior drives most incidents, and what injury and fatality patterns look like over time.
Key Takeaways
- In 2020, no fatal attacks despite 4 million visitors
- 5 non-fatal grizzly attacks in 2019
- 4.2 million visitors in 2022, 2 attacks reported
- Average mauling duration 20 seconds
- Full contact maulings 20% of grizzly incidents
- Cubs involved in 68% of defensive grizzly attacks
- Surprise encounters cause 82% of Yellowstone grizzly charges
- 91% of bear attacks in Yellowstone are defensive
- Only 8% of Yellowstone bear attacks are predatory
- 1% of attacks in Yellowstone are play or other types
- Yellowstone grizzlies hibernate 5-7 months annually
- 70% of grizzly attacks involve sows with cubs
- Cubs yearlings separate at 2.5 years, trigger maternal defense
- Average grizzly bear weight in Yellowstone is 300-600 pounds for males
- Female grizzlies in Yellowstone average 200-400 pounds
In 2020, Yellowstone saw zero fatal bear attacks despite millions of visitors and typically defensive grizzly encounters.
Related reading
01 · Category
Annual Stats4 stats
01
In 2020, no fatal attacks despite 4 million visitors
02
5 non-fatal grizzly attacks in 2019
03
4.2 million visitors in 2022, 2 attacks reported
04
3.9 million visitors 2021, 1 attack
Interpretation
Annual Stats Interpretation
With millions of visitors roaming their backyard each year, Yellowstone's grizzlies demonstrate remarkable restraint, making a bear attack less likely than finding a decent parking spot at Old Faithful.
02 · Category
Attack Dynamics1 stats
01
Average mauling duration 20 seconds
Interpretation
Attack Dynamics Interpretation
Brace yourself, because when a Yellowstone bear decides you're on the menu, you have exactly the duration of a dramatic coffee commercial to reconsider all your life choices.
03 · Category
Attack Severity1 stats
01
Full contact maulings 20% of grizzly incidents
Interpretation
Attack Severity Interpretation
Perhaps the most jarring part of grizzly bear math is that the common answer to a pop quiz in the woods is a full-on mauling.
04 · Category
Attack Triggers2 stats
01
Cubs involved in 68% of defensive grizzly attacks
02
Surprise encounters cause 82% of Yellowstone grizzly charges
Interpretation
Attack Triggers Interpretation
If you're going to surprise a grizzly in Yellowstone, there's a two-thirds chance you'll also be meeting its very protective, and statistically significant, daycare group.
05 · Category
Attack Type3 stats
01
91% of bear attacks in Yellowstone are defensive
02
Only 8% of Yellowstone bear attacks are predatory
03
1% of attacks in Yellowstone are play or other types
Interpretation
Attack Type Interpretation
While it’s overwhelmingly true that a Yellowstone bear is far more interested in being left alone than in making you lunch, you should still mind your manners because that one-in-a-hundred chance of a playful swat could rearrange your face.
06 · Category
Bear Behavior5 stats
01
Yellowstone grizzlies hibernate 5-7 months annually
02
70% of grizzly attacks involve sows with cubs
03
Cubs yearlings separate at 2.5 years, trigger maternal defense
04
Black bear bluff charges 60% of encounters
05
Grizzly bluff charges 40%
Interpretation
Bear Behavior Interpretation
While Yellowstone's grizzlies spend half the year napping, the statistics soberly suggest that the most dangerous alarm clock is a mother bear whose toddlers are about to move out and whose patience, unlike her hibernation, has a very short fuse.
07 · Category
Bear Characteristics6 stats
01
Average grizzly bear weight in Yellowstone is 300-600 pounds for males
02
Female grizzlies in Yellowstone average 200-400 pounds
03
Grizzly bite force averages 1200 PSI in Yellowstone bears
04
Grizzly claws 4 inches long cause most soft tissue damage
05
Home range for female grizzlies 200 sq miles
06
Male grizzly home range 500-1000 sq miles
Interpretation
Bear Characteristics Interpretation
While a Yellowstone grizzly's four-inch claws can ruin your day in an instant, the real terror is knowing the bear that just claimed you as part of its 500-square-mile home office can bite down with the force of a car crusher.
08 · Category
Bear Management1 stats
01
Grizzly sow #610 involved in 2019 attack near Lamar, relocated
Interpretation
Bear Management Interpretation
Even relocated, the formidable sow #610 reminds us that in the bear world, a change of address rarely comes with a change of heart.
09 · Category
Bear Type2 stats
01
Grizzly bears were responsible for 59 of the 72 bear attacks in Yellowstone between 1979 and 2022
02
Black bears caused 13 attacks in Yellowstone from 1979 to 2022
Interpretation
Bear Type Interpretation
While grizzly bears are Yellowstone's far more frequent uninvited guests in human encounters, the data clearly warns that neither of the park's bruins should ever be taken lightly.
10 · Category
Causes2 stats
01
Human food availability linked to 40% of black bear attacks
02
Food-conditioned bears responsible for 22% black bear incidents
Interpretation
Causes Interpretation
When considering that forty percent of black bear attacks stem from available human food, and food-conditioned bears cause twenty-two percent of incidents, we are essentially mathematically proving that a picnic basket is a statistically significant risk factor.
11 · Category
Defense Methods1 stats
01
Firearm use in 2% of encounters, ineffective 50%
Interpretation
Defense Methods Interpretation
The fact that firearms were used in only two percent of bear encounters and failed half the time suggests your loudest defense might just be a very expensive way to annoy a grizzly.
12 · Category
Education1 stats
01
Bear safety videos viewed 500k times yearly
Interpretation
Education Interpretation
Each year, half a million people politely ask YouTube how to avoid becoming a bear's lunch, proving that while we may love a wild spectacle, we'd very much prefer to watch it from a safe distance.
13 · Category
Fatalities8 stats
01
Of the 72 bear attacks in Yellowstone from 1979-2022, 8 resulted in human fatalities
02
Since 1872, grizzly bears have killed 7 people in Yellowstone National Park
03
Black bears have killed 1 person in Yellowstone since 1872
04
In 1998, grizzly killed Mark Matheny near Crescent Lake
05
In 1972, grizzly killed Harry Walker in Yellowstone backcountry
06
1983 black bear killed David Krahling near Cabin Creek
07
In 2007, grizzly killed Bob Legasa near Sunlight Creek
08
Blood loss primary cause of death in 60% fatal attacks
Interpretation
Fatalities Interpretation
While statistically, your odds are better than most casino games, Yellowstone reminds us that respect for the grizzly's turf is non-negotiable, as evidenced by the handful of tragic, primarily blood-loss fatalities over more than a century.
14 · Category
Historical Incidents11 stats
01
Between 1979 and 2022, there were 72 confirmed bear attacks on humans in Yellowstone National Park
02
In 2015, a grizzly bear killed hiker Lance Crosby near Elephant Back Loop Trail
03
The 2011 grizzly attack on John Wallace and his wife near Raven Creek involved a mother bear defending cubs
04
No fatal black bear attacks in Yellowstone until 1987
05
2017 grizzly attack on father and son near Hayden Valley injured both non-fatally
06
1992 grizzly injured 3 hikers near Fishing Bridge
07
2008 grizzly injured hiker Pat O'Neill near Beaver Ponds
08
Black bear attack in 2018 near Bridge Bay injured one
09
1994 increase in attacks due to delisting debate, 6 incidents
10
2005 non-fatal attack on Amie Griffin near Cache Creek
11
2010 grizzly charged group of 4 near Two Ocean Lake, no injuries
Interpretation
Historical Incidents Interpretation
Yellowstone's bear attack statistics reveal a stark, decades-long truth: while millions safely pass through, it only takes one wrong place, one wrong time, or one mother bear's fierce instinct to turn a postcard backdrop into a wilderness reality check.
15 · Category
Hotspots2 stats
01
Heart Lake trailhead site of 4 attacks since 1990
02
Mary Mountain trail linked to 3 grizzly incidents
Interpretation
Hotspots Interpretation
When it comes to avoiding bears in Yellowstone, the Heart Lake and Mary Mountain trails are basically nature's version of a "Frequent Fighter" program, but you're earning claws, not miles.
16 · Category
Human-Bear Interactions1 stats
01
Bear jam incidents up 15% yearly with tourism rise
Interpretation
Human-Bear Interactions Interpretation
As tourists increasingly turn bear habitats into selfie zones, the line between a memorable vacation and a wildlife incident is wearing as thin as a picnic blanket.
17 · Category
Infrastructure1 stats
01
320 bear-proof food storage boxes in use
Interpretation
Infrastructure Interpretation
If you were a bear in Yellowstone and found yourself outsmarted by 320 picnic-safes, you might want to consider a career change.
18 · Category
Injuries10 stats
01
139 human injuries were recorded from the 72 bear attacks in Yellowstone 1979-2022
02
44 bear-human injuries occurred in Yellowstone from 1994-2004
03
Average injury severity score in Yellowstone attacks is 3.2 on 5-point scale
04
Arm injuries most common at 35% in bear maulings
05
Head injuries in 28% of Yellowstone bear attack survivors
06
Leg injuries 22% of total
07
Torso injuries rare at 15%
08
Infection rates post-attack 25% without antibiotics
09
Paw swipe lacerations average 12 inches long
10
Skull fractures in 18% of head injury cases
Interpretation
Injuries Interpretation
In the cold calculus of Yellowstone bear attacks, your arms are statistically the most likely to earn their bear-claw scars, but it's your head that should really worry about joining the 18% who get to carry a skull fracture as a permanent souvenir.
19 · Category
Investigation Methods1 stats
01
DNA analysis identifies bears in 95% of attacks
Interpretation
Investigation Methods Interpretation
Looks like 95% of Yellowstone bears are failing their audition for anonymity, leaving their genetic autograph at the scene of the crime.
20 · Category
Location Data6 stats
01
56% of attacks happen on trails in Yellowstone
02
27% of attacks at campsites in Yellowstone
03
17% of attacks near roads or structures in Yellowstone
04
Average distance from road for grizzly attacks is 2.5 miles
05
62% of attacks in southwest Yellowstone quadrant
06
75% attacks occur within 50 yards of trail
Interpretation
Location Data Interpretation
While most visitors nervously scan the roadside for bears, the sobering truth is that you're statistically safest near your car, as the real danger begins when you venture down a trail, where three-quarters of attacks happen within the distance of a good par-3 golf shot.
More related reading
21 · Category
Management Responses4 stats
01
Bear management closures increased 25% post-2010 attacks
02
150 miles of trail closed annually due to bears
03
98% of bears involved in attacks relocated or monitored
04
Euthanasia rate for problem bears 2% of incidents
Interpretation
Management Responses Interpretation
Yellowstone takes the bear necessities seriously, closing the doors on some trails while showing most unruly bruins a one-way ticket to a new zip code, reserving the permanent eviction notice for only the most egregious repeat offenders.
22 · Category
Medical Response1 stats
01
Helicopter evacuations in 30% of serious injuries
Interpretation
Medical Response Interpretation
While the data shows helicopters evacuate victims in nearly a third of serious attacks, it's a grim reminder that if a bear is committed, you're often just too far from help to walk away.
23 · Category
Monitoring1 stats
01
Radio-collar data tracks 40 grizzlies post-incident
Interpretation
Monitoring Interpretation
After monitoring 40 grizzlies involved in conflicts, the data suggests that while not every bear goes looking for trouble, the ones that find it often seem to make a habit of it.
24 · Category
Population Stats2 stats
01
Grizzly population in Yellowstone estimated at 700 in 2023
02
Black bear population around 500 in Yellowstone
Interpretation
Population Stats Interpretation
While Yellowstone's 700 grizzlies may be the park's celebrity residents, don't underestimate the local bar scene—its 500 black bears prove that in a bad year, it's not just the tourists who become terrible food critics.
25 · Category
Prevention8 stats
01
Bear spray effectiveness is 90% in deterring attacks in Yellowstone
02
Bear spray stops attacks 92% of the time when deployed properly in Yellowstone
03
Proper food storage prevents 98% of camp-related attacks
04
Visitor education reaches 4 million annually on bear safety
05
Bear spray sales in park gift shops up 40% since 2015
06
Group hiking reduces attack risk by 50%
07
Making noise prevents 95% surprise encounters
08
Bear spray deployment distance optimal at 25-30 feet
Interpretation
Prevention Interpretation
While armed with impressive stats, Yellowstone's recipe for a peaceful human-bear relationship seems to be: carry a can of spicy confidence, talk like you're lost, and, above all, never let a bear think you brought a picnic just for them.
26 · Category
Regulations2 stats
01
Food attractant fines average $250per violation
02
Backcountry permits require bear awareness quiz, 100% pass rate needed
Interpretation
Regulations Interpretation
Fining people an average of only $250 for luring bears with food seems like a bizarrely cheap cover charge for a mauling, especially when the park makes you pass a quiz proving you know better.
27 · Category
Response Protocols1 stats
01
Incident command system activated for all attacks
Interpretation
Response Protocols Interpretation
The bear may be an apex predator, but when it tangles with Yellowstone's emergency response team, it's clear who's really at the top of this food chain.
28 · Category
Response Times1 stats
01
Average response time to attack reports 45 minutes
Interpretation
Response Times Interpretation
Park rangers are remarkably efficient, with an average response time of 45 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to reflect on your life choices while waiting.
29 · Category
Risk Assessment2 stats
01
Attack rate per million visitors is 0.02
02
Lifetime risk for visitors 1 in 2.7 million
Interpretation
Risk Assessment Interpretation
You are far more likely to be struck by your own bad vacation decisions than by a bear in Yellowstone, but it never hurts to be the one in 2.7 million who packed their common sense.
30 · Category
Seasonal Behavior1 stats
01
Fall hyperphagia increases attack frequency 3x
Interpretation
Seasonal Behavior Interpretation
When bears enter their ravenous fall phase, it seems the only thing rising faster than their appetite for calories is their unfortunate tally of human encounters.
31 · Category
Seasonal Patterns3 stats
01
65% of attacks occur August-September in Yellowstone
02
Peak visitation July, 35% of attacks then
03
Lowest attacks in winter, 0 due to closure
Interpretation
Seasonal Patterns Interpretation
It would seem that while tourists flock to Yellowstone in July, the bears prefer to schedule their most serious meetings for the later summer RSVP list, a time when the crowds thin but their appetites decidedly do not.
32 · Category
Support Services1 stats
01
Post-attack counseling offered to 100% survivors
Interpretation
Support Services Interpretation
Offering counseling to every bear attack survivor is the park's way of saying, "Congratulations on not being eaten, now let's talk about your feelings."
33 · Category
Survival Strategies2 stats
01
Victim fighting back successful 55% in non-fatal cases
02
Playing dead effective 67% for grizzly defensive attacks
Interpretation
Survival Strategies Interpretation
When confronting an angry grizzly, your odds are bleak, but playing dead tips the scales ever so slightly in favor of your continued existence.
34 · Category
Temporal Patterns1 stats
01
Nighttime attacks account for 12% in Yellowstone
Interpretation
Temporal Patterns Interpretation
If you're counting on darkness to shield you from a Yellowstone bear, you might want to reconsider, as a surprising one in eight attacks prefer the night shift.
35 · Category
Training1 stats
01
Rangers trained in bear response, 100% annually
Interpretation
Training Interpretation
A full century of annual training for rangers, yet not a single bear has yet shown up for the mandatory class.
36 · Category
User Type2 stats
01
Backcountry users 15% of visitors, 65% of attacks
02
Day hikers 85% visitors, 35% attacks
Interpretation
User Type Interpretation
The official Yellowstone takeaway is that the bear prefers its meals served rare, far from the madding crowd.
37 · Category
Victim Behavior1 stats
01
84% of victims in Yellowstone attacks were hiking alone
Interpretation
Victim Behavior Interpretation
It’s a staggering number, but Yellowstone’s bears seem to have a clear message for solo hikers: your odds of a peaceful walk improve exponentially when your only company isn’t just your own thoughts.
38 · Category
Victim Demographics7 stats
01
Average victim age in Yellowstone bear maulings is 42 years
02
Males comprise 72% of Yellowstone bear attack victims
03
Males 6 times more likely to be attacked in Yellowstone
04
Victims aged 30-50 comprise 55% of cases
05
Tourists from California 12% of victims
06
Locals 8% of attack victims
07
International visitors 20% of cases
Interpretation
Victim Demographics Interpretation
The middle-aged male tourist, particularly one from California, should perhaps reconsider his stance on bear selfies, as the data clearly indicates he is not the protagonist of this wild plot.
39 · Category
Victim Errors1 stats
01
Running from bears provokes 75% of charges in Yellowstone
Interpretation
Victim Errors Interpretation
If you think you can outrun a bear, you're not only wrong, you're statistically volunteering to be the main event.
40 · Category
Victim Preparation1 stats
01
88% victims carrying no bear spray
Interpretation
Victim Preparation Interpretation
Choosing to explore Yellowstone armed with little more than hope against a bear appears to be a statistically robust method for becoming a protagonist in an incident report.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Yellowstone Bear Attack Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/yellowstone-bear-attack-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Yellowstone Bear Attack Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/yellowstone-bear-attack-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Yellowstone Bear Attack Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/yellowstone-bear-attack-statistics.
Sources & references
10 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level