Polar bear killed mother and son after sneaking out of snowfall

In Alaska, the only US state where polar bears are found, it was the first deadly assault in 30 years.

Summer Myomick wrapped her infant in a blanket to protect him from the arctic winds coming off the Bering Sea before stepping outdoors into a snowstorm. The young mother could scarcely have noticed where she was going—or the fear that was approaching—as it was only a short walk from the school where she had visited relatives to the health clinic, which was just 150 yards (137 metres) away.

Myomick, 24, and her 1-year-old son Clyde Ongtowasruk managed to get just beyond the front of the Kingikmiut School in Wales, Alaska, which is located just below the Arctic Circle, when a polar bear attacked them on Tuesday. In Alaska, the only state in the United States where polar bears are found, it was the first deadly assault in 30 years.

The principal issued a lockdown as the incident progressed and shut the curtains to prevent the kids from seeing what was occurring outside the door. In order to try to scare the bear away with shovels, many employees and citizens of the neighbourhood fled the protection of the building.

Only when the beast turned on them and they fled back inside did the mauling temporarily stop. According to Susan Nedza, chief executive officer of the Bering Strait School District, principal Dawn Hendrickson closed the door in the face of the oncoming bear, perhaps sparing lives.

Approximately 250 miles (400 kilometres) away in Unalakleet, Nedza got panicked calls about the incident. “The polar bear was after them and wanted to get in as well,” he recalled. Simply horrible. something you never imagine having to go through.”

Wales has no legal enforcement, so while the bear was still outdoors, a request for assistance was made among the locals. The bear was still mauling Myomick and her son when an unidentified individual with a pistol appeared and shot it.

Low visibility appears to have prevented the mother and toddler from recognising what was approaching, Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel told The Associated Press on Thursday.

According to a post on a GoFundMe page created to support the family “in the midst of unspeakable loss and heartbreak,” the immediate family was staying at the school while they fixed electrical problems in their house.

In this time of great sorrow, we ask that you respect their privacy, the post stated.

With only 50 miles (80 kilometres) separating it from Russia across the Bering Strait, Wales is the westernmost hamlet on the North American mainland. It is home to roughly 150 people, practically all of whom are Inupiat. It can be reached by both air and water, including barges that transport household products. Snowmobile access to other settlements and areas for subsistence hunting is made possible by winter paths.

Alaska State Troopers were unable to fly in an officer and a state wildlife official from Nome to investigate until Wednesday due to the snowfall that concealed the bear and a lack of runway lighting at Wales' gravel air strip.

What provoked the attack is unknown. However, according to Geoff York, senior director of conservation at Polar Bear International, polar bears may view people as prey.

The remains of Myomick and her kid were flown to Nome and later sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Anchorage while samples from the bear were collected for the state veterinarian.

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska discovered in 2019 that changes in sea ice habitat had corresponded with indications that polar bears were using land more frequently and that the likelihood of seeing one had increased.

According to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, polar bears are the biggest bear species. Males normally weigh between 600 and 1,200 pounds (270 to 540 kilogrammes), although they can grow as long as 10 feet (3 metres) and weigh over 1,700 pounds (770 kilogrammes). between 400 and 700 pounds for women (180 to 320 kilograms). Walruses, beluga whales, and seals are among the main prey items for polar bears.

In addition to being protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, they were classified as vulnerable under the Endangered Species Act in 2008. Both rules forbid hurting animals without a permit unless it's essential for protecting people.