GATLINBURG - A black bear bit a man on the foot this week in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when the man got too close trying to take a photo, authorities said.

The man, whose name wasn't immediately available, let the bear get within inches of him Wednesday while hiking the Laurel Falls Trail, park spokeswoman Nancy Gray said. He didn't need treatment.

Park rangers believe they've caught the bear, a 60-pound female captured Thursday, Gray said. They'll kill it once they confirm it's the same one.

Park policy decrees an automatic death sentence for any bear that injures a human. Park officials said they're seeing more hungry, aggressive bears this year, probably due to a scarce acorn crop.

More details as they develop online and in Saturday's News Sentinel.

For further reading:

Park Visitor Injured By Bear, Seymour Herald staff writer, May 17th, 2010

Black Bear backlash against Smokies 'misguided' by Jim Matheny WBIR.com, May 23rd, 2010