A man in Fort Severn, Ontario, Canada, is recovering from serious injuries after leaping onto a polar bear to protect his wife from being mauled by the animal. According to police, the incident occurred around 5 a.m. when the man and his wife went outside to look for their dogs and a polar bear lunged at the woman. The man leapt onto the bear to prevent the attack, but it then attacked him, causing non-life-threatening injuries to his arm and legs. A neighbor arrived with a firearm and shot the bear several times, causing it to retreat to a nearby wooded area where it died from its injuries.
While polar bear sightings in the area are common, attacks are rare but not unheard of. The area near Hudson Bay is home to polar bears that typically hunt seals on the sea ice, but when the ice breaks up, they head inland to search for food. This year, the ice broke up earlier than usual, which may have contributed to the bear’s behavior.
Conservation scientists recommend locking away waste and not attracting bears with food or trash. In the event of an attack, experts advise fighting as long as possible, rather than playing dead. The man who leapt onto the bear is expected to recover from his injuries.