A man in Canada’s far north jumped on a polar bear to save his wife from being mauled, police say.
The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service said the man, who has not been named, suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover.
The couple left their home to look for their dogs around 05:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Tuesday when the bear – which was in the driveway of their home – pounced on the woman.
The incident took place in Fort Severn First Nation, a small community of about 400 people in northern Ontario.
“The woman slipped to the ground as her husband jumped on the animal to stop the animal attack,” police said in a statement. “The bear then attacked the man, causing serious but non-fatal injuries to his arms and legs.”
A neighbor arrived with a gun and shot the bear several times. It retreated to a nearby forest, where it succumbed to its injuries.
The man was transported to a community nursing center where he was treated for his injuries.
Nishnawbe Aski police said they “continue to patrol the area to make sure no other bears are roaming the community.”
Alisa McCall, a scientist at Polar Bear International, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that polar bears rarely attack humans.
When an attack occurs, the bear is usually hungry, young and sick, he said.
Bears generally stay away from human settlements, preferring instead to spend their time at sea hunting ice seals. But climate change is causing temperature fluctuations, breaking up the ice and in some cases driving bears inland in search of food.
“If you’re attacked by a polar bear, definitely don’t play dead — that’s a myth,” he told the CBC. “Fight as long as you can.”
