Alaska guide’s condition improves after mauling by mama bear

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The condition of an Alaska wilderness guide who was mauled by a bear protecting her cub has improved, the hospital said.

Authorities say Anna Powers of Hawaii is in satisfactory condition days after she and another guide, Michael Justa of Juneau, were attacked by a brown bear as they were leading cruise ship passengers on a hike in the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska. Alaska State Troopers say the attack occurred after the group came between the female bear and its cub.

The Coast Guard rescued the guides and transported them to Sitka, where Justa was treated and released. Powers was then flown to Seattle where she was initially hospitalized in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center. Hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said the woman was transferred out of the ICU on Sunday.

Authorities have said they have no plans to hunt down the bear.

Tongass officials say bears are common in the area near a stream filled with salmon at this time of the year when the fish head to the area to spawn and die.

The guides are crew members of the 74-passenger cruise vessel Wilderness Explorer.