Black bear who fatally mauled camper hunted down and shot dead
Camper took photos of black bear before fatal attack
- Arkansas officials have shot and killed a male black bear believed to be responsible for the fatal mauling of 60-year-old Max Thomas at his campsite in the Ozark National Forest.
- Mr Thomas, from Springfield, Missouri, was discovered deceased last Thursday, with evidence of a struggle and drag marks found at the scene.
- He had sent his family pictures of a black bear in his camp on Tuesday morning, and a bear matching its description was later tracked and killed near the attack site.
- DNA samples are being taken to confirm the identity of the bear, which matched the size and facial colourations of the one photographed by the victim.
- This incident marks the second fatal bear attack in Arkansas in recent weeks, despite such occurrences being historically "exceedingly rare" in the state.