Man fights off bear with hatchet after attack in California mountains

A couple sustained significant injuries during a black bear attack in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, authorities said Tuesday.

The 17-month-old bear, which also injured the couple’s 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 “aggressively confronted” 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.

Law enforcement determined that the bear was a threat to public safety and euthanized the animal, the department said.

The department’s chief, Dan Casbian, said in the release that bear attacks are extremely rare in the area. The animals typically avoid humans and will flee when confronted, he said.

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