California hiker survives grizzly bear attack at Glacier National Park

A California man is recovering from three surgeries after a mother grizzly bear charged him on a trail at Glacier National Park, seizing his arm and dragging him more than 20 feet before releasing him.

The attack on Daniel Crago of San Carlos is the second serious wildlife incident near the park in roughly three weeks, following the death of a Florida hiker in a suspected bear attack at the same location. The incidents have renewed calls for heightened trail safety awareness among California hikers planning summer national park trips.

Crago said he spotted a bear cub crossing the trail moments before encountering the mother grizzly, which had positioned herself roughly 15 feet above him on the hillside. Following standard bear-country protocol, he called out to announce his presence — but the animal charged immediately.

"I did as you're told. I alert the bear so you don't catch them by surprise. I said, 'Hey bear! Hey bear!' As soon as it looked right up at me, it charged me and leaped. You could hear the roar. I just stuck my arm up, and I kind of thought ... this is it," Crago said in an interview reported by ABC7 Los Angeles.

The bear latched onto his arm, crushed it, and pulled him more than 20 feet before finally letting go. Crago was bleeding heavily when his hiking companion and other hikers nearby — including a doctor — rushed to his aid. He was airlifted to a hospital, where he has since undergone three surgeries.

Crago said he had been taking a selfie on the trail just moments before the bear appeared. The attack comes approximately three weeks after a separate suspected bear incident near the park left a Florida hiker dead; park authorities have not confirmed whether the two events are linked.

Glacier National Park's wildlife safety guidelines advise hikers to carry bear spray, make noise while on trail and never approach or feed wildlife. Park officials had not announced trail closures or additional bear-management measures as of the time of this report.