So now I cannot learn about known bear attacks when I plan a backpacking trip?
You should always be prepared to encounter unrestrained nature when backpacking in a national park.
It is common to see people in National Parks flagrantly ignore the many warnings. Honestly, I am surprised it is only 350 deaths per year.
Isn't this exactly why we need to know how many deaths there are -- so we can judge the level of risk we face?
For example, dozens of people die every year due to heat stroke and dehydration in places like Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and White Sands. The National Park Service posts many large signs warning you to bring sufficient water that thousands of people ignore. Most people that ignore the warning don't die but you could eliminate the risk entirely by simply staying hydrated.
[1] Does this sound familiar? https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2003/12/03/the-cornered-na...
The visitor took a hearse home...
Allowing arbitrary NPS employees talk to the public about people that may have died isn't required for any of this. To be honest, I am surprised that this new policy didn't already exist. It is very common practice to manage incident comms this way.
mjamil•1h ago
[1] https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/national-park-staff-n...