Man fights off bear with hatchet after attack in California mountains
A couple sustained significant injuries during a black bear attack in Californiaโs Sierra Nevada mountains, authorities said Tuesday. Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The 17-month-old bear, which also injured the coupleโs dogs, was euthanized afte
A couple sustained significant injuries during a black bear attack in Californiaโs Sierra Nevada mountains, authorities said Tuesday.
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.
The 17-month-old bear, which also injured the coupleโs dogs, was euthanized after the man fought it off with the blunt end of a hatchet, the Mammoth Lakes Police Department said in a news release.
The attack occurred around 6 a.m. in Mammoth Lakes, near Yosemite National Park, after the woman tried to stop the bear from fighting with one of her dogs outside her home, the department said.
A second dog ran outside, according to the release, and the bear bit and clawed the woman.
When the man tried to intervene, the bear โaggressively confrontedโ him as well, though he was able to flee after the woman began hitting the animal with a water bottle, the department said.
The man went inside and grabbed the hatchet, ending the confrontation, according to the release.
The couple drove to a local hospital, the department said. Their conditions were not immediately clear. Their dogs sustained minor injuries, according to the release.

