A 64-year-old Maine woman punched a bear chasing her dog, prompting the bear to bite, state wildlife officials said Friday.
The woman was treated for stab wounds to the wrist after the confrontation at 11:30 a.m. Friday, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said in a statement.
The dog was unharmed.
The Porter, Maine, resident confronted the black bear “head on” after it chased his dog through nearby woods, the wildlife department said.
“And when the bear got up, he got up as high as he could, then he punched her in the nose, and the bear bit her right hand, gouging her wrist,” she said. to say.
The bear freed the woman and ran away, the department said.
Wildlife officials placed live traps in the area, but the animal has not been seen since it escaped, department spokesman Mark Latti said Saturday night.
It was one of the few recent clashes between humans and wild animals.
In Litchfield, Conn., on Saturday, a 65-year-old homeowner was hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life-threatening when he got between his dog and an attacking bear. NBC Connecticut reported
The dog was taken to a veterinarian for treatment, he said.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Environmental Conservation Police said the bear was checking a bird feeder when the dog gave chase, according to the station.
Also in Connecticut, a bobcat was killed after attacking a camp leader who was sleeping in a hammock during a youth expedition in the woods.
The leader and two other adults of the expedition killed the lynx. They were taken to a hospital for undisclosed injuries after Friday’s incident, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said.
Experts say otters rarely interact with humans or attack.
To prevent bear attacks, New England wildlife officials ask residents not to leave bird feeders, pet food, trash or grills outdoors, especially in the spring, summer and fall .
