A Canadian man jumped on a polar bear to protect his wife

The incident happened around 5:00 a.m. Tuesday (11 a.m. CET) in the small community of Fort Severn First Nation when the couple came out of their home to find their dogs. But there was a bear on the driveway that threatened the woman. At that moment, her husband rushed at the beast, who suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries after the bear attack.

“The woman slipped to the ground when her husband jumped on top of the animal to prevent its attack,” the local police said in a statement quoted by British television. “The bear then attacked the man and caused serious injuries to his arm and leg,” she added.

Then a neighbor came with a gun and shot the bear several times. The animal subsequently retreated to the nearby forest, where it died as a result of a gunshot wound.

After the collision, the man was taken to a local doctor, where he was treated.

Alysa McCall, a scientist from Polar Bear International, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that polar bears rarely attack people. When an attack does occur, it is usually because the bear is hungry, young or sick, she said.

Usually, bears stay away from human settlements, instead preferring to spend time in the sea hunting seals. However, climate change has led to temperature fluctuations that break up the ice and in some cases drive bears inland, where the animals look for food.

“If you’re attacked by a polar bear, definitely don’t play dead – that’s a myth,” she told the CBC. “Fight as long as you can,” she concluded.