A man was attacked by a hungry bear on his way home from the grocery store on Sunday, only to be saved by his quick-thinking neighbor.
The man, named Andrew Nierer, was attacked by the small black bear on a street in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, after walking back from the store along a trail through the woods.
In security footage captured from a neighboring home, the bear can be seen running up to Nierer and tackling him to the ground.
Luckily Nierer's neighbor, Mike Bramich, saw the attack and rushed out with his gun.
"She [the bear] came and looked at him [Bramich] and then charged after me," Nierer told local news WNEP in an interview. At that point, it's either I make a decision on going farther [toward] my house or him when he has the gun, it's ready if he needs to use it.
Bramich then shot the bear dead.
"It just up and jumped on him and grabbed him by the arm and wrestling him around here, I had no choice but to kill the bear so that's what I did," Bramich told WNEP.
"I just did what I needed to do, a man's life was at stake the bear was trying to get to his throat, so I did what I did, I had to do it."
WNEP reported that immediately prior to the attack, the bear had been spotted coming from the woods, running across the parking lot of Jim Thorpe Market and heading towards the store's entrance. Once people began to scream, the bear then took off in the direction of the trail, which Nierer had walked along to return home.
Luckily, Nierer only received minor injuries in the attack.
"She only minorly got me," Nierer WNEP. "I got a little stitch on my arm and some scratch marks, but I got lucky. I'm not hurt."
Are bear attacks common in this area?
Pennsylvania is home to around 18,000 black bears, but despite these numbers, bear attacks in Pennsylvania are extremely rare.
Black bears are generally shy and avoid human contact. However, like any wild animal, they can become defensive or even aggressive under certain conditions.
Pennsylvania averages only one or two bear attacks on humans per year, with most incidents involving bears acting defensively, often when they feel threatened or are protecting their cubs.
Why might the bear have attacked?
Bears usually hibernate at this time of year: Black bears in Pennsylvania typically hibernate from late November through to March or April, depending on weather conditions and food availability.
The lone bear's behavior indicates it may have been on the hunt for food. Bears accustomed to human food (garbage, birdseed, pet food) can become bold around humans, leading to dangerous encounters. On rare occasions, a very hungry bear may attack a human as prey.
How to avoid a similar bear attack?
According to Bearwise, you should not run if a bear approaches you, as this may trigger a chase response, rather, you should slowly back away.
If the bear continues to follow you, you should stand your ground, make yourself look larger, and shout loudly at the bear. Even if the bear charges you, you're advised to stand your ground and remain calm, using bear spray if on hand.
If the bear attacks: "FIGHT BACK with anything at hand (knife, sticks, rocks, binoculars, backpack or by kicking)," Bearwise says. "DO NOT play dead."
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