A man was left with serious injuries earlier this week after he was mauled by a polar bear while rescuing his wife, who was ambushed by the animal in the early morning.
The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service shared a statement on the incident in Ontario, Canada. The police service noted that officers were dispatched to a residential address in the earlier hours of Tuesday after receiving reports of gunfire.
Police arrived at the scene and, after investigating, discovered that an adult male and female had exited their home before 5 a.m. to find their dogs. While in the driveway of their home, a polar bear lunged at the woman.”
“The woman slipped to [the] ground as her husband leapt onto the animal to prevent its attack. The bear then attacked the male, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries to his arm and legs,” Nishnawbe Aski Police Service continued.
While the man was being attacked, a neighbor reportedly came to help, bringing a firearm and shooting the bear several times before it fled into a wooded area nearby. It was later found to have died from its injuries.
When police arrived, they found the deceased bear and learned that “an adult male had been transported to the community nursing station to have his injuries assessed and treated.”
Officials stayed in the area to ensure no other bears were roaming the community.
The man has not been identified at this time, though police say he is recovering from injuries determined to be serious to his arm and legs. He is expected to survive.