Grizzly Bear Kills a Woman during a Cycling Trip in Montana
July 9, 2021, 3:51 am

Grizzly Bear Kills a Woman during a Cycling Trip in Montana

According to the BBC, US authorities are searching for a grizzly bear that killed a woman in Montana after dragging her from her tent in the middle of the night.

Leah Lokan, a 65-year-old nurse from California, had stopped over in the town of Ovando during a cycling trip.

During the attack on Tuesday, her fellow campers used bear spray to force the animal out of their camping site.

The BBC reported that Wildlife and law enforcement officials are sweeping the area and say they plan to kill the bear if they find it.

A private air rescue service, Two Bear Air Rescue, is using infrared technology to locate the animal, according to Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) agency.

Traps have also been laid in the area near a chicken coop where the bear killed and ate several chickens the same night.

Investigators believe the animal weighs roughly 181kgs (400lb). Its DNA has been recovered at the scene of the attack, and it will be compared with that of any bear that authorities trap.

A friend of Ms Lokan's, Mary Flowers, told AP news agency that Ms Lokan had taken long-distance bike trips in the past. On this latest journey she had been accompanied by her sister and a friend.

"She loved these kind of adventures," said Ms Flowers. "She had a passion for life that was out of the ordinary."

The FWP said the bear first approached the campers at around 03:00 local time (09:00 GMT), but initially ran away.

Ms Lokan and her two companions, who were staying in a separate tent, then removed food from their tents and secured them before going back to sleep. But the bear returned shortly afterwards, leading to the fatal attack.

Ovando, a community of fewer than 100 people, sits on the edge of Glacier National Park - an expanse of forests and mountains stretching over the border into Canada.

The park is home to the largest concentration of bears within the contiguous US, but fatal attacks are rare in the region. Over the last 20 years there have been two other incidents, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Bears that attack people are not always killed if their attack results from a surprise encounter, or if the bear was defending its young.

But a Montana FWP spokesperson told AP that the bear involved in Ms Lokan's death is considered a threat because of the nature of the attack.

Source: BBC

Image source: Getty Images-BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.