The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the attack is under investigation and the bear will be euthanized if found, but officials insisted attacks like this aren’t common.
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The Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office said a 67-year-old man was attacked by a bear around 4 a.m. Thursday.
Yepez said he punched the bear, but the animal latched onto his arm and wouldn’t let go. “It was terrifying… I really didn’t know if I was going to make it out or not”, Larry Yepez told KFSN.
“Mr. Yepez is a very tough individual”, Mariposa County game warden Frank Milazzo told Merced Sun-Star. “There he was – he was right on top of me”. Covered in blood, Yepez then drove himself to the hospital.
Stoots says the man, whose name was not released, was on his porch Thursday and likely startled the bear that was feeding on trash 20 feet away.
The man survived the attack but suffered numerous cuts to his arms, legs and body, as well as defensive wounds to his hands, said Lt. Chris Stoots of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Los Angeles Times says the drought has made food scarce, so bears have been searching elsewhere for food.
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Because of the significant attack, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are warning residents in the area to be aware of their surroundings and keep a close eye on children and pets. There have been around 15 bear attacks since 1980, she said.
