Horror at Yellowstone as black bear mauls girl, 3, sleeping in tent

Wildlife officials in Montana have euthanized a black bear they believe attacked and injured a 3-year-old girl in a tent over a weekend. 

At around 10pm on Sunday evening, the young girl was attacked by the predator and taking to a hospital in Billings. Her condition remains unknown.

The young girl, whose identity remains unknown, had been in a tent at Perry's RV campground just north of Yellowstone National Park. It is unclear if there were any adults with her at the time. 

The campground was evacuated and traps were placed in the area with a bear believed to have been involved then captured and euthanized on Monday afternoon.  

Game warden Randy Hutzenbiler said that 'there were attractants in the area', which included food and unsecured garbage. 

The campground was evacuated and traps were placed in the area with a bear believed to have been involved then captured and euthanized on Monday 

Game warden Randy Hutzenbiler said that 'there were attractants in the area', which included food and unsecured garbage

The wildlife agency recommends keeping food, garbage and anything with a scent out of tents and stored in bear-resistant containers or vehicles.

According to the North American Bear Center, there are an estimated 750,000 black bears in North America. 

Yellowstone is home to two species of bear, black and grizzly and it is one of the few areas outside of Canada where the bears coexist. 

Park regulations say that people should stay at least 100 yards from bears unless they are in their cars. 

In May of this year, Shayne Patrick Burke, 35, suffered serious injuries as a result of an attack in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. 

He revealed in a post to Instagram how he was in the 'wrong place at the wrong time' when a mother grizzly bear attacked him.

The full-grown animal had been protecting her cub, he said - resulting in a vicious attack the combat veteran said was the 'most violent' thing he's ever experienced.

The young girl, whose identity remains unknown, had been in a tent at Perry's RV campground just north of Yellowstone National Park

Burke revealed in a post to Instagram how he was in the 'wrong place at the wrong time' when a mother grizzly bear attacked him 

He credited a can of bear spray with saving his life, administered as the beast was gnawing on his hands, legs, and the back of his neck, nearly ending him then and there. 

The attack, he added, occurred on Signal Mountain - an isolated summit standing some 7,720 feet above sea level in Grand Teton National Park.

Once there for an hour in search of a Great Grey Owl to photograph, he had the ‘surprise encounter’ with the brown bear, he wrote online.

After investigating the incident, the National Park Service (NPS) said it would not attempt to capture or kill the grizzly, as the animals are typically only aggressive when threatened, especially when it comes to their young.