A man in Canada’s far north jumped on a polar bear to protect his wife from attack, police said.
The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Department said the unnamed man suffered serious injuries but is expected to recover.
The couple left their home around 5 a.m. local time (11 p.m. Japan time) on Tuesday to look for their dog, when a bear in their driveway lunged at the woman.
The incident occurred in Fort Severn First Nation, a small community of about 400 people in far northern Ontario.
“The woman slipped to the ground as her husband jumped to stop the animal from attacking,” police said in a statement. “The bear then attacked the man, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries to his arms and legs.”
A neighbor came with a gun and shot the bear several times. He fled into nearby woods and died from his injuries.
The man was transported to a local nursing station where he was treated for his injuries.
“We continue to patrol the area to check for other bears roaming the area,” Nishnawbe-Aski Police said in a statement.
Alisa McCall, a scientist with Polar Bear International, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that polar bears rarely attack humans.
When attacks occur, bears are often hungry, young and unwell, she said.
Bears usually live far from human habitation, preferring instead to spend their time at sea hunting ice seals. But climate change is causing temperatures to fluctuate and ice to break up, sometimes driving bears inland in search of food.
“If you’re attacked by a polar bear, never play dead. That’s a superstition,” she told CBC. “Fight as long as you can.”
