On 25/4/1987, 40-year-old wildlife photographer Charles Gibbs and his wife, Glenda, were exploring Glacier National Park in Montana. Around 5 p.m., as their trip neared its end, Gibbs spotted a sow grizzly and her three cubs on Elk Mountain. Believing he had a chance to capture some incredible photos, he moved closer.
Unbeknownst to him, these would be the chilling final images captured before his death, a story that continues to resonate decades later.
Gibbs' passion for wildlife photography drew him closer to the bears. Later analysis of his camera revealed a photo showing the mother bear looking directly at him.
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The mother bear looks towards Gibbs. Photo: Daily Star |
The mother bear looks towards Gibbs. Photo: Daily Star
The last photo is even more disturbing. Taken from approximately 45 meters, it shows the sow and her cubs charging towards Gibbs. In a desperate attempt to escape, he ran down the mountain and climbed a tree, but to no avail.
Perceiving Gibbs as a threat to her cubs, the sow pulled him down from the tree, biting and clawing him. He managed to break free momentarily, leaving a 15-meter trail of blood, but the bear caught up, overpowered, and killed him.
The sow weighed over 180 kg, and grizzly bears are notoriously protective of their young. Following the investigation, some questioned why Gibbs hadn't used a gun to defend himself. His wife, Glenda, explained that he deeply loved grizzly bears and would never consider leaving three cubs orphaned.
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Gibbs' final photo shows the sow and her cubs approaching. Photo: Daily Star |
Gibbs' final photo shows the sow and her cubs approaching. Photo: Daily Star
Upon discovering Gibbs' body, then-assistant park superintendent Alan O'Neill remarked that Gibbs "knew what he was doing." In this instance, the human was the intruder.
Since the early 20th century, there have been approximately 97 bear-related fatalities in the US, with about 71 occurring in the wilderness or near state and national parks. Glacier National Park has the highest number, with 10 to 12 deaths since the late 1960s, including Gibbs'.
Since 2001, the park has reported around 20 bear-related injuries. Compared to the hundreds of millions of visitors, the number of attacks in Glacier National Park remains very low.
Hoai Anh (Daily Star)
