A bicyclist confronted a 500-pound bear, telling authorities he yelled and kicked at it after the bear charged toward him along an Alaska riverbed, officials said.
The incident occurred Tuesday about 9:30 a.m. in Cantwell, near where the Jack River meets the Nenana River, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
The male victim, who was not identified, told investigators he was riding a bicycle along the riverbed when he saw the brown bear about 15 yards away and coming toward him, officials said.
He then jumped off his bike and began yelling at the bear. As it approached closer, the victim fell to the ground and covered his head, officials said. He told authorities he believed he kicked at the bear.
“The bear made contact and bit” the victim just below his right knee, according to the statement.
After the bear bit him, it retreated into vegetation, the victim told investigators, adding he was able to walk to a nearby highway and call a friend for help. He received treatment for puncture wounds and a laceration, officials said.
He believed the bear was alone prior to the mauling and saw bear tracks in the snow, officials said. The victim was carrying a firearm, but did not fire it, authorities said.
This is not the first time someone has decided to stand up to a bear this year.
Southern California teen Hailey Morinico pushed an American black bear off a wall after it got into an encounter with dogs at the family’s home. The incident in the foothills in the San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles, was caught on home surveillance video.
June 1, 202101:04
There have been multiple bear encounters in Alaska this year.
In September, a hunter was injured after he was mauled by a grizzly bear in Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, officials said.
Jason Long, 39, of Eagle River, Alaska, was alone near the Chisana River when a mother and her two cubs attacked him, according to the National Park Service. The hunter called for help using a distress signal, prompting the Air National Guard and the park service to coordinate a rescue mission. Authorities found Long with lacerations and puncture wounds. He was taken to multiple facilities for treatment, the park service said. It was unclear how severe his injuries were, but authorities said he was stable.
In August, a tourist from Indiana was injured by a grizzly bear at Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The victim used bear spray that may have cut the attack short, the park service indicated.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
