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GATLINBURG – The family of Glenda Bradley has filed a $3.5 million wrongful death claim against the Great Smoky Mountain National Park claiming the National Park Service made "mistakes in its handling of Ms. Bradley’s death." The 50-year-old Cosby resident and Sevier County teacher died last year after Park officials say a 112-pound bear sow and her yearling cub mauled her during a hike along the Little River Trail and the intersection of the Goshen Prong Trail. Bradley and her former husband Ralph Hill had gone to the Park that day so he could fish while Bradley hiked. According to reports, the two were attempting to reconcile their relationship. Bradley was regarded as an experienced hiker and knew the trails she was walking.
The claim, which was filed with the United States Department of Interior in Washington, D.C. by Knoxville attorney Sidney Gilreath, alleges that the Park was negligent in the resource management of the black bears and reportedly had evidence that the bears exhibited behavior that should have warned the Rangers of potential trouble. Rangers at the scene of the incident killed both the sow and cub. The carcasses of the bears as well as the body of Glenda Ann Bradley were autopsied and evidence allegedly showed that the bears had fed on Ms. Bradley.
The incident marked the first time in the history of the National Park Service that someone had been killed by a black bear, which led to the formation of a committee to study the issue and recommend any changes to help avoid future incidents when visitors encountered black bears in their natural habitat.
The final report on the incident was released earlier this year and cleared the Ranger’s activities at the scene of the incident and his refusal to fire on the bears immediately upon his arrival at the scene for fear of hitting bystanders or other Rangers responding to scene. Officials in their final report also stated that there would be changes made in the way the they inform hikers of encountering wildlife in the Smoky Mountains at all visitor’s centers. In addition, the Park has revised back country signs warning people about bear encounters and is devoting designated time in their law enforcement training program to problem bear management. According to earlier reports from the Park Service following the incident, the bears were known to officials as part of an ongoing study of wildlife in the Park, but had exhibited no behavior considered unusual for a bear in the wild.
National Park officials would not make a statement on the wrongful death claim as a matter of policy regarding comments on pending litigation. The Knoxville attorney has indicated if he cannot get a settlement from the Department of Interior, he will file a lawsuit in Federal Court

GSMNP releases final report on
2000 bear attack fatality

GATLINBURG – Officials at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park released their final report last week on the May 2000 death of Sevier County teacher Glenda Ann Bradley.
Bradley, who was regarded as an experienced hiker in the Smoky Mountains, was believed to have been attacked by two bears during a hike along the Little River Trail at the intersection with Goshen Prong Trail. Rangers with GSMNP later arrived on the scene and killed both the sow and the cub believed to have attacked Bradley. It marked the first time in the history of the National Park Service that someone had died as a result of a black bear attack.
Officials say their investigation and the autopsy results performed by East Tennessee State University’s College of Medicine "confirmed the preliminary findings that Bradley died of injuries due to bear attack." The manner of death was ruled as an accident.
The Board of Inquiry Report also detailed the Park’s response to the incident and listed a series of eight recommended action that the Park is taking in response to the attack. The changes are mainly in the areas of staff training, tightened procedures for reporting and responding to bear incidents and methods of educating visitors on how to respond to various types of bear encounters.
The following recommendation were made:
1. The February 1993 Black Bear Management Guidelines should be revised and updated. While no major changes are required, the guideline has become dated. Information and insight gained from the Bradley fatality would be a useful addition to the handbook.
2. The Trail Map should be revised. The "Bears and You" section should include advice and recommendations of what to do if encountered by a bear. More attention should be given to evaluation of a bear’s behavior during an encounter with guidance for the proper response.
3. Back country signs should be revised to include the potential for bear encounters. These signs advise visitors of the potential danger of bears. The bear warning sign has been revised to include language that bear attacks on humans have occurred.
4. The ranger division should devote a segment of its annual law enforcement training to problem bear management. Wildlife staff should review the protocols for identifying and managing recurring problem bear behavior.
5. The Black Bear Management Report has been revised and reaffirmed. The procedure for reporting after-hour/weekend observations has been reaffirmed to ensure that bear reports are received by the appropriate resource management staff in a timely manner.
6. The Resources Management and Science Division should identify one person who will be assigned as a point of contact for problem bear reports. This employee will coordinate his response with the wildlife biologist and ranger staff.
7. Other Park information distributed in visitor centers, the communications center and by Resource Education personnel should be modified to include the lessons learned from the Bradley incident. Written materials should describe the appropriate measures to take when encountered by a bear. Research by Professor Steve Herrero and others clearly show that during an encounter people should respond according to specific types of bear behavior. More attention should be given to evaluation of a bear’s behavior during an encounter with guidance for the proper visitor response.
8. The Resources Management & Science Division should resume sponsorship of an annual bear management workshop in the spring of the year. Employees from all operating divisions would benefit from open discussion of bear management issues as b ears emerge from their dens concurrent with the arrival of Spring break campers and backpackers.
"In short," said one Park official, "black bears can be aggressive and people need to know how to act and react when encountering a black bear. Never get too close to one and always try to watch from a good distance. A black bear is a wild animal and will act like one. "

-Claim filed against GSMNP in 2000 bear-attack death of Cosby woman

GSMNP releases final report on 2000 bear attack fatality