A Washington state woman escaped a bear attack outside her home with injuries on Saturday morning after she hit it in the face, according to a wildlife official.
The unnamed woman in Leavenworth was charged by an adult female black bear as she was letting her dog out, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement.
She sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to an area hospital. The bear was killed later than morning by wildlife officers, and two cubs were captured and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility, the statement said.
State wildlife biologist Rich Beausoleil told Seattle’s KING-TV that the woman made the right call by attacking the bear after she was knocked to the ground.
“She didn’t see it coming, so she could not make herself big, clap her hands, you know, yell at the bear, wave her arms,” Beausoleil told the station. “Those are the things we usually tell people to do.”
“If the bear knocks you down, then yes, your solution is to fight.”
“It was just instinct for her,” he added. “She just turned around and popped it right in the nose.”
The woman reportedly told authorities that after she hit the bear, it “shook” and took off.
Wildlife officials said the bear was put down because it was overweight, indicating that it had likely been eating leftovers and trash, KING-TV reported.
Washington hasn’t had a fatal black bear attack since 1974, the Department of Fish and Wildlife said. They’ve recorded 19 encounters with humans resulting in injuries since 1970.
