COMSTOCK, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating after a black bear attacked a 69-year-old woman.
According to officials, the woman was attacked by the bear about 2 p.m. Saturday near the town of Comstock, in Barron County, Wisconsin. The victim sustained severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, with no recent updates.
Local DNR Wardens and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services initially responded to the incident.
There are an estimated 24,000 bears in Wisconsin, according to wildlife officials.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING – MAY 18: A Black bear forages for food near a stream on May 18, 2024 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
(Jonathan Newton / Getty Images)
Local DNR officials stated that once they began searching for the bear, they found a cub located in a tree, meaning this could be a scenario regarding a mother protecting her young.
Officials have continued to search for the beast, with the help of a trained bear-hound dog, but have been unsuccessful in locating the animal.
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The cause of the attack is still under investigation, with the goal being to euthanize the bear to assess its condition.
No human fatalities have resulted from encounters with black bears in Wisconsin, according to the DNR website. Incidents of black bears attacking or killing humans are very rare.
A black bear sits in an oak tree at Lake Eola Park in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida on Sunday morning, June 4, 2023. Orlando Police taped off the area and were awaiting officials to arrive from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
(Roger Simmons/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
If you encounter a bear while hiking, hunting, or camping
Wildlife experts offer these tips for people who might encounter a bear:
- Never approach a bear.
- Do not run.
- Do not lie down or play dead.
- Talk to the bear or start shouting if it doesn’t leave.
- Raise your arms above your head and wave them to appear larger than you are.
- Slowly back away and don’t turn your back on the bear.
- Always leave an escape route for the bear.
- Fight back if attacked.
