This isn’t supposed to be funny, but something dramatic happened recently. On August 12, a 24-year-old man running in the Long Barn community near the Sierra Nevada foothills encountered a black bear.
While jogging, he saw what he thought was a bear cub alongside the road, which prompted a dangerous encounter with the bear. The mother bear began to chase him and attacked him after he fled up an embankment. Read on to find out how the event played out.
A Chance Encounter With a Protective Black Bear
Before the jogger fled up the embankment, he grabbed a large stick and used it to fend off the bear after striking it on the head. Afterward, he sought refuge behind a tree, according to a spokesperson from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Following this initial attack, the man managed to reach a nearby residential area and climbed onto a vehicle to escape the bear. The ever-energetic bear, however, continued to assault him even while he was on top of the car.
ALSO READ: Ron DeSantis Signs Bill Allowing People to Shoot Bears, Sparks Outrage From Wildlife Activists
Due to the noise, the homeowner became alert. Upon seeing the man perched on her car with the bear next to him, she screamed. This caused the animal to flee, and she immediately called 911 for assistance.
According to officials, the man is in stable condition; however, he has sustained injuries to his back, side, and legs. He received medical treatment at Adventist Health in Sonora, California. In an interview with CBS, homeowner Heather Silfies recounted the harrowing scene.
She described seeing the man in a distressed state as he fled from the bear, noting his shredded shirt and one shoe missing. Silfies provided more details on the confrontation, explaining that the bear was trying to climb onto the roof of her Escalade while the man was desperately trying to stay out of reach.
The bear kept using the vehicle’s running board to jump at him, attempting to get on the roof and continue the attack. What an energetic bear!
Efforts To Capture the Bear Are Underway
Eventually, the man was able to survive the bear’s attack. As of now, authorities have the DNA samples from the scene of the attack and the victim to identify the bear involved. However, a spokesperson from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDW) stated that the bear would be euthanized if located.
ALSO READ: Oregon Wildfire Forces Officials to Declare State of Emergency Until November
The CDW’s website notes that encounters with black bears rarely lead to human injuries in California. Most attacks occur in situations where the bear is defending its cubs or if the bear has become habituated to human food. However, this information isn’t enough to predict how or when a black bear attack will occur.
Are Black Bears Shy?
Black bears are highly intelligent animals with excellent senses of smell and hearing. They can detect even faint food odors, leading them to campsites and residential areas. Just so you know, black bears are active at any time of the day.
Black bears are shy, secretive, and wary of humans. However, if they frequently find food near human habitation, they may become less fearful. Unlike grizzly bears, black bears are rarely aggressive towards humans, even when they have cubs.
A mother bear typically sends her cubs up a tree for safety and remains below to watch for threats. Furthermore, black bears do not hibernate in the true sense but enter a state of winter dormancy, during which their body temperature and heart rate decrease.
During this period, they do not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate, though they will wake if disturbed. In Connecticut, black bears may remain active during winter, mainly if the weather is mild and there is little snow. Additionally, pregnant females are usually the only ones who need to provide a secure environment for their young.
They often den under fallen trees or in brush piles but may also use other sheltered spots, including rocky outcrops or dense vegetation near human structures. In Connecticut, bears typically den from late November to mid-March, with females spending more time in the den than males.
You Might Also Like:
Kevin Hart Rehashes What Led to His Drug-Fueled 2017 Scandal in New Court Filing
Joe Rogan Blasts CNN, Calls the News Organization “Untrustworthy”
“The Notebook” Actress Gena Rowlands Passes On at 94 After Dementia Diagnosis
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Colombia Plans Revealed! It Begins at Bogotá
