A 64-year-old Porter woman was taken to the hospital Friday after she punched a black bear in the nose and the bear bit back.
Lynn Kelly was trying to save her dog from the chasing bear when the confrontation occurred, said Mark Latti, spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Kelly was working in her garden shortly before noon Friday when her dog began to bark and ran into the woods, Latti said. The dog then started yelping, and when Kelly investigated, it ran out of the woods with the bear in pursuit.
“Kelly confronted the bear head-on, and when the bear stood up, she stood up as tall as she could, then punched the bear in the nose, whereupon the bear bit her in the right hand, puncturing her wrist,” Latti said.
The bear immediately released her wrist and ran back into the woods, Latti said. Kelly was taken to Memorial Hospital in North Conway for treatment of puncture wounds.
Apparently, it was not the bear’s first visit to Porter. It had been seen snacking on birdseed in nearby yards in the days leading up to Friday’s incident, Latti said.
IFW said Friday afternoon that the bear had not been seen since the attack. The agency set two live-capture culvert-style traps in hopes of capturing the animal.
IFW offered some advice to anyone who finds themselves in a similar predicament in a state with one of the largest populations of black bears in the country. A 2018 count estimated there were at least 35,000 in Maine.
The agency advises people to remove bird feeders, unsecured garbage, pet food, and barbecue grills from their yards, especially if there have been bear sightings in the area.
Dog owners should also walk their pets on non-retractable leashes, turn on yard lights before letting dogs outside at night and avoid getting in between their dog and a bear.
And, of course, “if you do see a bear, keep your distance, and do not corner or agitate the bear.”
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