{{Short description|Bear attacks on humans}} {{use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} thumb|right|250px|Although bear attacks are rare, they can be fatal. A '''bear attack''' is a violent attack by a bear on another animal, for predation, territoriality or self-defense, although it usually refers to a bear attacking a human or a domesticated animal such as pets and livestock. Bear attacks are of particular concern for those who happen to be around bear habitats and can be fatal, and hikers, campers, fishermen and others in bear country often need to take precautions against bear attacks.
Stephen Herrero, a Canadian biologist, reports that during the 1990s, bear attacks killed around three people a year{{citation needed|date=January 2026}} in the United States and Canada, as compared to the 30 to 50 people killed every year by dogs.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Maniscalco |first1=Kenneth |last2=Edens |first2=Mary Ann |title=StatPearls |date=2024 |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430852/ |chapter=Animal Bites |pmid=28613602}}</ref>
== Causes == Almost all recorded bear attacks in the wild have resulted from humans surprising them. Hunters are the people most at risk of bear attacks because, as Tom Smith, a U.S. Geographical Survey research biologist, describes, "Hunters typically aren't making any noise, and they sleuth around while wearing camo."{{sfn|Batin|2003|p=46}} Hunters try to be silent and, though many hunters wear reflective clothing so as not to become targets for other hunters, they try to hide their movements so as not to startle game. Most bear attacks result from hunters suddenly appearing in front of them, startling a bear into an instinctive act of aggression.
A bear's first reaction upon detecting a human is to run away.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=97}} Fergus lists a few possible causes for this instinctive reaction, each a speculation or hypothesis based more on intuition rather than physical evidence. Some speculate that bears inherited their cautious nature from thousands of years ago when they had to be wary of larger and more dangerous carnivores.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=97}} Some believe that bears have come to relate a human presence to firearms and other ranged weaponry, that they have come to fear.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=97}} Still others think that hunters tend to target more aggressive bears, thus leaving only the more shy and timid bears to reproduce, creating a population of bears less hostile than before.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=97}}
===Protecting young=== thumb|right|Most bear attacks happen when a mother bear senses what she perceives as a threat to her offspring. One of the most dangerous situations that leads to bear attacks is when a bear perceives a threat to her offspring. Sow bears are very protective of their young, devoting, on their own without any participation of the male bear, many years of their lives just to raise their cubs and teach them to hunt, hence the term "mama bear" to refer to extremely reactive and protective mothers of humans, particularly those who do this without paternal care.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|pp=146–150}} While solo bears will usually retreat, a mother bear protecting her cubs is most likely to attack any sudden threat. Black bears present something of an exception to this, however, as mother black bears sometimes urge their cubs to climb trees for safety instead of remaining on the ground to protect their young.{{sfn|Masterson|2006|p=216}}
===Hunger=== Another dangerous situation is when a human is faced with a hungry bear that has lost its natural fear of humans. With the decrease of hunting grounds and food crops such as berries and bark, bears often become more desperate and aggressive.{{sfn|Brandt|1996|p=52}} However, this hunger has also triggered an unexpected reaction: bears began to follow gunfire because they associate it with dead animals that they can scavenge or steal.{{sfn|Brandt|1996|p=52}}
Once a bear claims an animal carcass, it becomes very protective of its kill. This becomes a problem when a bear conveniently claims a hunter's kill, as the hunter may not wish to kill the bear as well. By avoiding a bear over a carcass, the risk of attack is reduced by around 50 percent.{{sfn|Batin|2003|p=46}}
===Predatory=== Bears may act aggressively toward humans even when they are not hungry, protecting a kill, or protecting their young. Most fatal attacks by black bears have been judged as predatory. Bear researcher Stephen Herrero determined that in black bear attacks, the bear acted as a predator in 88 percent of fatal incidents.<ref>{{cite news |title=Research highlights predatory black bear behaviour |url=https://www.rmotoday.com/local-news/research-highlights-predatory-black-bear-behaviour-1561178 |access-date=17 November 2021 |work=RMOToday.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Lone, predatory black bears responsible for most human attacks |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/lone-predatory-black-bears-responsible-most-human-attacks/2011/05/11/ |access-date=17 November 2021 |work=Anchorage Daily News}}</ref>
== Prevention == Bear attacks may be prevented by avoiding hiking at dawn or dusk. Additional steps may be taken to prevent attacks such as being loud, traveling in groups, and bear spray/firearms.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schmitt |first1=Kristen A. |title=5 Ways To Avoid a Grizzly Bear Attack and How To Survive One |url=https://freerangeamerican.us/avoiding-bear-attack |work=Free Range American |date=4 September 2021}}{{unreliable source?|date=February 2024}}</ref>
==Species, and respective aggressiveness==
===American black bears=== American black bears are widely distributed throughout much of North America. As of a 1996 count, they are found in nearly all states and provinces in the United States and Canada. States and provinces with particularly high black bear populations include Alaska, British Columbia, and Ontario. Black bears are largely absent from the Great Plains region, as they primarily inhabit forests and mountainous regions.<ref name="Williamson">{{cite web |last1=Williamson |first1=Douglas F |title=In the Black Status, Management, and Trade Of the American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) In North America |url=https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/Traf-121.pdf |publisher=World Wildlife Fund, Inc |access-date=17 November 2021 |date=April 2002}}</ref> In 1996, it was estimated that there were between 735,000 and 941,000 black bears in the United States and Canada combined.<ref name="Williamson" /> Only seven states and one province had none.<ref name="Williamson" /> [[File:Bear damage to car door.jpg|thumb|Damage done by a black bear to a car door in Yosemite Valley]] Unlike grizzly bears, which became a subject of fearsome legend among the European settlers of North America, black bears were rarely considered overly dangerous, even though they lived in areas where the pioneers had settled. Black bears rarely attack when confronted by humans, and usually limit themselves to making mock charges, emitting blowing noises and swatting the ground with their forepaws.
According to Stephen Herrero in his ''Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance'', 23 people were killed by black bears from 1900 to 1980. The North American Bear Center states that 61 people have been killed by black bears since 1900.<ref name="dangerous">{{cite web |last1=Rogers |first1=Lynn |title=How Dangerous Are Black Bears? |url=https://bear.org/bear-facts/how-dangerous-are-black-bears/ |publisher=North American Bear Center |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref> The number of black bear attacks on humans is higher than those of brown bears, though this is largely because black bears outnumber brown bears rather than their being more aggressive. Compared to brown bear attacks, violent encounters with black bears rarely lead to serious injury and death. However, the majority of black bear attacks tend to be motivated by hunger rather than territoriality, and thus victims have a higher probability of surviving by fighting back rather than submitting.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/bearattacks.htm | title=Bear Attacks (U.S. National Park Service)}}</ref> Unlike grizzlies, female black bears do not display the same level of protectiveness toward their cubs, and will seldom attack humans in their vicinity.<ref name="attacks" /> However, it is a very common occurrence for the American black bear to take food from campsites, and even from time to time break into people's homes to get food.<ref>{{Cite web|last=KGO|date=2022-02-24|title=South Lake Tahoe police say calls about massive bear Hank the Tank are disrupting operations|url=https://abc7news.com/hank-the-tank-lake-tahoe-bear-500-pound-black-breaks-into-house/11595365/|access-date=2022-02-24|website=ABC7 San Francisco}}</ref>
The worst recorded fatality incident occurred in May 1978, in which a black bear killed three teenagers fishing in Algonquin Park in Canada.<ref name="kruuk" /> The majority of attacks happened in national parks, usually near campgrounds, where the bears had become habituated to human contact and food.<ref name="attacks" /> Between 1964 and 1976 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there were 1,028 documented incidents of black bears acting aggressively toward people, 107 of which resulted in injury. These incidents occurred mainly in tourist hotspots, where people regularly fed the bears handouts.<ref name="kruuk">{{cite book |isbn=0-521-89109-4 |title=Hunter and Hunted: Relationships Between Carnivores and People |last=Kruuk |first=Hans |date=2002-09-05 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gyzIrGBrcaMC&pg=PA67 |page=67 |publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>
===Asian black bears=== [[File:Indianbearhunt.jpg|thumb|An Asian black bear, shot after charging Henry Astbury Leveson "The Old Shekarry" (1828–1875), as illustrated in ''Wild sports of the world: a boy's book of natural history and adventure'']] Though usually shy and cautious animals, Asian black bears are more aggressive toward humans than the brown bears of Eurasia.<ref name="brown">''Bear Anatomy and Physiology'' from Gary Brown's ''The Great Bear Almanac'', Lyons & Burford, Publishers, 1993.</ref> According to Brigadier General R.G. Burton:
{{blockquote|text=The Himalayan black bear is a savage animal, sometimes attacking without provocation, and inflicting horrible wounds, attacking generally the head and face with their claws, while using their teeth also on a prostrate victim. It is not uncommon to see men who have been terribly mutilated, some having the scalp torn from the head, and many sportsmen have been killed by these bears.|sign=''A Book of Man Eaters'', Chapter XVII ''Bears''}}
E. T. Vere of Srinagar, Kashmir wrote of how his hospital received dozens of black bear victims annually. He wrote that, when attacking humans, black bears will rear up on their hind legs and knock victims over with their paws. They then make one or two bites on an arm or leg and finish with a snap to the head, this being the most dangerous part of the attack.<ref name="living" /> There are no records of predation on humans by Asiatic black bears in Russia<ref>"Human-bear interactions" from ''Status and management of the Asiatic black bear in Russia'' by Igor Chestin and Victor Yudin in ''Asiatic Black Bear Conservation Action Plan'', chapter 10 of ''Bears: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan'' compiled by Christopher Servheen, Stephen Herrero and Bernard Peyton, published by IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group</ref> and no conflicts have been documented in Taiwan.<ref>"Human-bear interactions" from ''Status and management of the Formosan black bear in Taiwan'' by Ying Wang in ''Asiatic Black Bear Conservation Action Plan'', chapter 10 of ''Bears: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan'' compiled by Christopher Servheen, Stephen Herrero and Bernard Peyton, published by IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group</ref> However, in India, attacks on humans have been increasing yearly and have occurred largely in the northwestern and western Himalayan region. In the Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh, the number of black bear attacks on humans gradually increased from 10 in 1988–89 to 21 in 1991–92.<ref>"Human-bear interactions" from ''Status and management of the Asiatic black bear in India'' by S. Sathyakumar in ''Asiatic Black Bear Conservation Action Plan'', chapter 10 of ''Bears: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan'' compiled by Christopher Servheen, Stephen Herrero and Bernard Peyton, published by IUCN/SSC Bear Specialist Group</ref> Between 2000 and 2025, the wildlife department in India has recorded more than 2,300 bear attacks on humans in the Kashmir region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.mongabay.com/video/2025/05/inside-the-human-bear-conflict-in-northern-india/|title=Inside the human-bear conflict in northern India|date=21 May 2025|access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>
Recent bear attacks on humans have been reported from Junbesi and Langtang National Park in Nepal, and occurred in villages as well as in the surrounding forest.<ref name="nepal">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bearbiology.com/fileadmin/tpl/Downloads/URSUS/Vol_18/U18_1_Stubblefield_and_Shrestha.pdf|title=Status of Asiatic black bears in protected areas of Nepal and the effects of political turmoil|access-date=October 31, 2009|archive-date=September 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929185426/http://www.bearbiology.com/fileadmin/tpl/Downloads/URSUS/Vol_18/U18_1_Stubblefield_and_Shrestha.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Li Guoxing, the second person in history to have received a facial transplant, was a victim of a black bear attack.<ref name="titleXinhua - English">{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/15/content_4426709.htm |title=Xinhua - English |access-date=2007-11-25 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071014015822/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/15/content_4426709.htm| archive-date= 14 October 2007 | url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name="titleBBC News | Asia-Pacific | 'First face transplant' for China">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4910372.stm |title= 'First face transplant' for China |access-date=2007-11-25 |work=BBC News | date=14 April 2006| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071014125952/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4910372.stm| archive-date= 14 October 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> Nine people were killed by black bears in Japan between 1979 and 1989,<ref name="NE">{{cite book | author= Knight, John| title= Natural Enemies: People-Wildlife conflicts in Anthropological Perspective|year=2000 |page=150 | publisher= Psychology Press|isbn=0-415-22441-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yko27H7Pu0gC&pg=PA150}}</ref> and more recently, in September 2009, it was reported that a black bear attacked a group of tourists, seriously injuring four, while they were waiting at a bus station in the built-up area of Takayama, Gifu in central Japan.<ref name="japan">{{cite news |title=Bear attacks tourists in Japan |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8265084.stm |work=BBC News |date=19 September 2009}}</ref> The majority of attacks tend to occur when black bears are encountered suddenly, and at close quarters. Because of this, black bears are generally considered more dangerous than sympatric brown bears, which live in more open spaces and are thus less likely to be surprised by approaching humans.<ref name="attacks">''A Book of Man Eaters'' by Brigadier General R. G. Burton, Mittal Publications{{page needed|date=February 2024}}</ref> They are also likely to attack when protecting food.<ref name="brown2">"Bear Behaviour and Activities" from Gary Brown's ''The Great Bear Almanac'', Lyons & Burford, Publishers, 1993.</ref>
===Brown bears=== thumb|Illustration of a brown bear attacking Russian hunters As a rule, brown bears seldom attack humans on sight, and usually avoid people. They are, however, unpredictable in temperament, and will attack if they are surprised or feel threatened.<ref name="attack">''Bear Attacks: Their Causes and '' by Stephen Herrero, Hurtig Publishers Ltd./ Edmonton 1985.</ref> Sows with cubs account for the majority of injuries and fatalities in North America. Habituated or food-conditioned bears can also be dangerous, as their long-term exposure to humans causes them to lose their natural shyness, and in some cases associate humans with food. Small parties of one or two people are more often attacked than large groups. Only one attack, against a group of 20 elementary students and teachers in 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |last=News |first=APTN National |date=2025-11-21 |title=Grizzly bear attacks students, teachers in B.C. |url=https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/grizzly-bear-attacks-nuxalk-nation-students-teachers-in-b-c/ |access-date=2025-11-22 |website=APTN News}}</ref> has been recorded against a party of more than seven people.<ref name="ABC">{{cite web |date=July 27, 2011 |title=Alaska Bear Incident Update: NOLS Students Injured in Bear Attack in Alaska |publisher=National Outdoor Leadership School |url=http://nols.blogs.com/nols_news/2011/07/press-release-nols-students-injured-in-bear-attack-in-alaska.html |access-date=January 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202115246/http://nols.blogs.com/nols_news/2011/07/press-release-nols-students-injured-in-bear-attack-in-alaska.html |archive-date=February 2, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In contrast to injuries caused by American black bears, which are usually minor, brown bear attacks tend to result in serious injury and in some cases death.<ref name="attack" /> In the majority of attacks resulting in injury, brown bears precede the attack with a growl or huffing sound,<ref name="attacks" /> and seem to confront humans as they would when fighting other bears: they rise up on their hind legs, and attempt to "disarm" their victims by biting and holding on to the lower jaw to avoid being bitten in turn.<ref name="geist" /> Such a bite can be more severe than that of a tiger, and has been known to crush the heads of some human victims.<ref name="living">[https://archive.org/stream/livinganimalsofw01cornrich#page/n7/mode/2up ''The living animals of the world; a popular natural history with one thousand illustrations'' Volume 1: Mammals], by Cornish, C. J., 1858-1906; Selous, Frederick Courteney, 1851-1917; Johnston, Harry Hamilton, Sir, 1858-1927; Maxwell, Herbert, Sir, published by New York, Dodd, Mead and Company.</ref>
Most attacks occur in the months of July, August and September, the time when the number of outdoor recreationalists, such as hikers or hunters, is higher. People who assert their presence through noises tend to be less vulnerable, as they alert bears to their presence. In direct confrontations, people who run are statistically more likely to be attacked than those who stand their ground. Violent encounters with brown bears usually last only a few minutes, though they can be prolonged if the victims fight back.<ref name="attacks" />
Attacks on humans are considered extremely rare in the former Soviet Union, though exceptions exist in districts where they are not pursued by hunters.<ref name="soviet">{{cite book |last1=Geptner |first1=Vladimir Georgievich |title=Mammals of the Soviet Union: pt. 2 Carnivora (hyaenas and cats) |date=1998 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution Libraries and National Science Foundation |isbn=978-1-886106-81-9}}{{page needed|date=February 2024}}</ref> East Siberian brown bears for example tend to be much bolder toward humans than their shyer, more frequently hunted European counterparts.<ref>{{cite conference |last1=Geist |last2=Valerius |last3=Baskin |first3=L |last4=Okhlopkov |first4=I |last5=Spilenok |first5=I |title=Wolves, Bears and Human Anti-predator Adaptations |conference=XXIX International Union of Game Biologists IUGB Congress |location=Moscow, Russia |date=August 2009}}</ref> In 2008, a platinum mining compound in the remote Olyotorsky district of northern Kamchatka was besieged by a group of 30 Kamchatka brown bears that killed two guards and prevented workers from leaving their homes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Luke |title=Bears eat two workers in remote Russian region |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jul/24/russia.wildlife |work=The Guardian |date=23 July 2008}}</ref> In Scandinavia, only three fatal attacks were recorded in the 20th century.<ref name="britbear">{{cite web|url=http://www.toothandclaw.org.uk/species.asp |title=Brown Bear |publisher=Tooth & Claw |access-date=2008-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116044816/http://www.toothandclaw.org.uk/species.asp |archive-date=16 January 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Due to increasing brown bear population in Turkey, attacks still occur in mountainous areas of Northeastern Turkey.<ref name="Turkish Bear Attacks">{{cite news |title=Erzurum'da ayı dehşeti: 1 ölü |trans-title=Bear horror in Erzurum: 1 dead |url=https://www.gazetevatan.com/yasam/erzurumda-ayi-dehseti-1-olu-397261 |work=Gazete Vatan |date=1 September 2011 |language=tr}}</ref>
Native American tribes whose territories overlapped with those of grizzly bears often viewed them with a mixture of awe and fear. North American brown bears were so feared by the Natives that they were rarely hunted, especially alone. When Natives hunted grizzlies, the act was done with the same preparation and ceremoniality as intertribal warfare, and was never done except with a company of four to ten warriors. The tribe members who dealt the killing blow were highly esteemed among their compatriots. Californian Indians actively avoided prime bear habitat, and would not allow their young men to hunt alone, for fear of bear attacks. During the Spanish colonial period, some tribes, instead of hunting grizzlies themselves, would seek aid from European colonists to deal with problem bears. Many authors in the American west wrote of Natives or voyagers with lacerated faces and missing noses or eyes due to attacks from grizzlies.<ref name="geist">{{cite book |last1=Geist |first1=Valerius |chapter=Did Large Predators keep Humans out of North America? |pages=282–294 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HRohBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA282 |editor1-last=Clutton-Brock |editor1-first=Juliet |title=The Walking Larder: Patterns of Domestication, Pastoralism, and Predation |date=2014 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-59838-1}}</ref> Within Yellowstone National Park, injuries caused by grizzly attacks in developed areas averaged approximately 1 per year during the 1930s through the 1950s, though it increased to 4 per year during the 1960s. They then decreased to 1 injury every 2 years (0.5/year) during the 1970s. Between 1980 and 2002, there were only 2 grizzly bear-caused human injuries in a developed area. However, although grizzly attacks were rare in the back-country before 1970, the number of attacks increased to an average of approximately 1 per year during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bear-Inflicted Human Injuries and Fatalities in Yellowstone |url=https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/injuries.htm |work=National Park Service}}</ref>
According to bear biologist Charles Jonkel, one reason for bear attacks is the lack of important foods such as huckleberry, buffalo berry, and white-bark pine nut. Winter freezes may be one reason for the food shortages.<ref>{{cite book |last=McCauley |first=Jane R. |title=America's Wild Woodlands |publisher=National Geographic Society |isbn=9780870445422 |year=1985 |page=[https://archive.org/details/americaswildwood00nati/page/125 125] |url=https://archive.org/details/americaswildwood00nati/page/125}}</ref>
===Polar bears=== {{expand section|date=July 2023}} Polar bears, particularly starving males, will hunt humans for food. Attacks on humans by female bears are rare and have been primarily ascribed to the protection of cubs.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Wilder |first=James M. |last2=Vongraven |first2=Dag |last3=Atwood |first3=Todd |last4=Hansen |first4=Bob |last5=Jessen |first5=Amalie |last6=Kochnev |first6=Anatoly |last7=York |first7=Geoff |last8=Vallender |first8=Rachel |last9=Hedman |first9=Daryll |last10=Gibbons |first10=Melissa |date=2 July 2017 |title=Polar bear attacks on humans: Implications of a changing climate |url=https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wsb.783 |journal=Wildlife Society Bulletin |language=en |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=537–547 |doi=10.1002/wsb.783 |issn=2328-5540|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The earliest recorded account of a polar bear attack was written in 1595. It described a predatory attack on two people from Willem Barentsz's crew in the Russian Arctic.
Between 1870 and 2014, there have been 73 recorded polar bear attacks, causing 20 fatalities and 63 injured.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Polar Bear Attacks, Causes, and Prevention|url=https://polarbearsinternational.org/news-media/articles/polar-bear-attacks-causes-prevention|date=10 July 2017|access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref> These attacks occurred in the polar bear range states (United States, Russia, Norway, Canada, Greenland).<ref name=":1" /> Polar bears are often judged as the predators in these interactions as nearly all recorded attacks happened to groups of at least two people.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wilder |first1=James M. |last2=Vongraven |first2=Dag |last3=Atwood |first3=Todd |last4=Hansen |first4=Bob |last5=Jessen |first5=Amalie |last6=Kochnev |first6=Anatoly |last7=York |first7=Geoff |last8=Vallender |first8=Rachel |last9=Hedman |first9=Daryll |last10=Gibbons |first10=Melissa |title=Polar bear attacks on humans: Implications of a changing climate |journal=Wildlife Society Bulletin |date=September 2017 |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=537–547 |doi=10.1002/wsb.783 |bibcode=2017WSBu...41..537W}}</ref>
A polar bear killed one and injured four others on 5 August 2011 in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard when it attacked a party of secondary school students with the British Schools Exploring Society who were camped near the Von Post glacier,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Von Post Glacier : Norway Travel Guide : Nordic Visitor |url=https://norway.nordicvisitor.com/travel-guide/attractions/svalbard/von-post-glacier/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=norway.nordicvisitor.com}}</ref> some 25 miles (40 km) from the settlement of Longyearbyen.<ref>{{cite web|author=Matt Walker |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14415592 |title=Polar bear kills British boy in Arctic |publisher= |work=BBC News |date=5 August 2011 |access-date=2 March 2012}}</ref>
Rising temperatures cause polar bears to move inland; possibly impacting the rate of attacks.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Francis |first1=Ellen |last2=Grandoni |first2=Dino |date=22 January 2023 |title=Polar bears could have more dangerous run-ins with people as ice melts |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/01/22/polar-bear-attacks-climate-change/}}</ref>
===Sloth bears=== In some areas of India and Burma, sloth bears are more feared than tigers, due to their unpredictable temperament.<ref name="Perry">{{cite book | last = Perry |first=Richard | title = The World of the Tiger | year = 1965 | page = 260 | asin= B0007DU2IU}}</ref> In Madhya Pradesh, sloth bear attacks accounted for the deaths of 48 people and the injuring of 686 others between the years 1989 and 1994, probably due in part to the density of population and competition for food sources.<ref>Wolf Trust - Wolves Killing People - Perspective (http://www.wolftrust.org.uk/a-wkp8-perspective.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524012803/http://www.wolftrust.org.uk/a-wkp8-perspective.html |date=2009-05-24}}){{self-published inline|date=February 2024}}</ref> One specimen, known as the sloth bear of Mysore, was single-handedly responsible for the deaths of 12 people and the mutilation of 2 dozen others before being shot by Kenneth Anderson. Sloth bears defend themselves when surprised, with the majority of confrontations occurring at night. They typically charge on all fours with their head held low, before rearing on their hind legs and striking at their attackers with their claws and teeth.<ref name="Bearalmanac">{{cite book | last = Brown | first = Gary | title = Great Bear Almanac | year = 1996 | page = [https://archive.org/details/greatbearalmanac00gary/page/340 340] | isbn = 1-55821-474-7 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/greatbearalmanac00gary/page/340 | publisher = The Lyons Press}}</ref>
===Other bears=== Generally, giant pandas will not attack humans. They are known for their gentle, docile nature. Many recorded panda attacks are a result of humans falling or jumping into their zoo enclosure unexpectedly.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Peixun |last2=Wang |first2=Tianbing |last3=Xiong |first3=Jian |last4=Xue |first4=Feng |last5=Xu |first5=Hailin |last6=Chen |first6=Jianhai |last7=Zhang |first7=Dianying |last8=Fu |first8=Zhongguo |last9=Jiang |first9=Baoguo |title=Three cases giant panda attack on human at Beijing Zoo |journal=International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine |date=15 November 2014 |volume=7 |issue=11 |pages=4515–4518 |pmid=25550978 |pmc=4276236}}</ref>
Spectacled bears rarely attack humans, though they may develop a taste for cattle on occasion.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Izadi |first1=Elahe |title=Forget baby pandas: Andean bears are the best at being bears |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/03/18/forget-baby-pandas-andean-bears-are-the-best-at-being-bears/ |newspaper=Washington Post |date=27 October 2021}}</ref>
== History of human–bear relationships == [[File:Bear trap GTNP1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A drum or barrel trap used to safely relocate bears parked adjacent to a building in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, United States]] [[File:Bear Bell クマ鈴 熊鈴 Free Rent 2019.jpg|thumb|150px|Bear bells for sightseers in Goshiki-numa, Japan]] According to ''Wild Bears of the Worlds'', by Paul Ward and Suzanne Kynaston, human contact with bears has existed since the time of the Neanderthals and the European cave bear around 200,000 to 75,000 years ago.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|p=9}} There is some evidence of cave bear worship during these early years: between the years 1917 and 1922, Emil Bachler discovered a large stone chest filled with cave bear skulls in the Drachenloch Cave in Switzerland, one of the Wildkirchli; between 1916 and 1922, Konrad Hormann found narrow niches filled with five cave bear skulls.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|p=9}}
Ward and Kynaston go on to report that Cro-Magnon humans, who first appeared nearly 35,000 years ago, show more obvious evidence of cave bear worship in the forms of paintings, sculptures, and engravings; however, there is still some doubt as to whether these works specifically depict the cave bear or the European brown bear.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|pp=9–10}}
In the 1900s, bear populations had been decreasing because of increased hunting of bears for sustenance (done mostly by native peoples such as the Inupiat of Alaska and the Inuvialuit of Canada) and for trophy prizes.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|p=176}} Polar bear skins became popular as a sign of wealth and prestige, especially in Europe during the Victorian era.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|p=174}} Comparatively, the pelts of giant pandas were also highly valued, priced at around 176,000 U.S. dollars{{when|date=July 2024}}.{{sfn|Ward|Kynaston|1995|p=177}} Settlers, indigenous, villagers and farmers defended their families and livestock by killing the local predators, including bears. This practice is still in place where necessary and legal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Black Bears|url=http://blackbearinfo.com/history/|access-date=May 20, 2019|archive-date=November 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102114747/http://blackbearinfo.com/history/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=December 14, 2014|title=Bear-Livestock Conflicts|url=https://appliedbehavior.wordpress.com/behavior-projects/bear-livestock/}}</ref>
More recently, laws have been instated to protect the dwindling populations of bears; however, as stated in ''Return of the Grizzly'' by David Whitman, these laws have increased the tensions between bears and humans. While this allows bear populations to recuperate, it also prevents people from killing bears that have invaded their property and killed their livestock.{{sfn|Whitman|2000|p=28}}
In 2024, the "man or bear" meme sparked debate that women are more likely to face assault from men than bears.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Conor |title=Man Or Bear? Many Women Say They'd Rather Be Stuck In The Woods With A Bear In Latest Viral TikTok Debate |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/05/03/man-or-bear-many-women-say-theyd-rather-be-stuck-in-the-woods-with-a-bear-in-latest-viral-tiktok-debate/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Forbes}}</ref>
== Physical characteristics== The various species of bear, belonging to the Ursidae family, are well-developed for survival, both for attaining food and defending against predators.
===Fur=== A bear's fur is often very thick, and it can function much like armor. In situations between bears and other predators, such as humans, this thick fur acts with the bear's thick skin and layers of fat as a buffer against most physical attacks, sometimes buffering to some extent even against firearms.{{sfn|Brandt|1996|p=52}} According to Charles Fergus' ''Wild Guide: Bears'', bear fur is also a source of insulation that allows bears to inhabit almost any habitat, from the hot jungles inhabited by sun bears and sloth bears to the frozen tundra inhabited by polar bears, thus occupying most of the same territory as humanity.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=1}}
===Muscle=== A bear's muscular structure is highly suited for strength and power. Polar bears are known to swim for kilometers in search of food and to scoop {{convert|200|kg|lbs|abbr=on|sigfig=2}} seals out of the water.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=1}}
Grizzly bears can bring down prey, such as bison or moose, that outweigh the bear by several hundred kilograms and can steal kills from entire packs of wolves. Their top speed running on all fours has been reported to be around {{convert|40|mph|-1|order=flip|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|pp=1–2}}{{sfn|Whitman|2000|pp=26, 28}} By comparison, Usain Bolt ran at a record-breaking speed of {{convert|27|mph|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} at the 2008 Summer Olympics.<ref>[http://speedendurance.com/2008/08/22/usain-bolt-100m-10-meter-splits-and-speed-endurance/ "Usain Bolt 100m 10 meter Splits and Speed Endurance" by Jimson Lee, dated August 22, 2008] Retrieved on July 1, 2009.</ref> Most people are incapable of reaching speeds even remotely close to this number; thus, it is impossible for a human to outrun a bear, even one not running at its highest possible speed.
===Claws=== thumb|Claws and pawprints of an American black bear (left) and brown bear Bears have five digits on each dextrous paw, each digit with a long non-retractable claw. The shape of the claw differs between the bear species: black bear claws are strong and curved, which allows them to claw at tree bark; grizzly bear claws are long and straight, ideal for digging, and can be up to {{convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} long;{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}}{{sfn|Whitman|2000|p=26}} polar bear claws are thick and sharp for holding the slippery skins of seals.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}}
===Jaws=== The jaws of a bear reflect its omnivorous eating habits. A bear has forty-two teeth, with canines, which can be even longer than those of a tiger. While a bear's canines can pierce flesh and tear meat, a bear's back teeth are relatively flat, better suited for eating plants rather than meat. However, the jaws of bears are controlled by large muscles that are capable of crushing bones, which gives access to the nutritious marrow within.{{sfn|Whitman|2000|p=28}}{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=3}} Some grizzly bears have jaws that can bite through {{convert|15|cm|in|sigfig=1|adj=mid|-thick}} pine trees.{{sfn|Brandt|1996|p=52}}
Humans in contrast have thirty-two teeth, sixteen on each jaw, each tooth less than a half-inch long. Of these teeth, there are four incisors, two canines, four premolars, and six molars. While human incisors are capable of biting into meat, bears have more powerful jaw muscles, which make their bite more destructive to flesh.<ref name = Teeth2>"Teeth" par. 2</ref> More appropriate comparisons to bear dentition are to those of dogs whose teeth are similar in proportion to those of bears (and of course much smaller, although capable of inflicting much damage even at their smaller size).
===Other senses and characteristics=== Bears' senses are likely similar to those of dogs, animals that at times have much the same build and dietary habits of bears.
Bears' sense of smell is dependent on a Jacobson's organ, or vomeronasal organ, which allows the bear to easily detect airborne scents.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=6}} Bears use this sense of smell not only to hunt, but to detect other bears as well; male bears use smell to stay away from other male bears and to find female bears during mating season. In contrast, humans are not considered to have a functional vomeronasal organ.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Smith|first1=Timothy D.|last2=Laitman|first2=Jeffrey T.|last3=Bhatnagar|first3=Kunwar P.|date=14 October 2014|title=The Shrinking Anthropoid Nose, the Human Vomeronasal Organ, and the Language of Anatomical Reduction|url=https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ar.23035|access-date=12 January 2026|journal=The Anatomical Record|volume=297|issue=11|pages=2196–2204}}</ref>
Little is known about a bear's hearing, but scientists concluded that it is at least as good as a human's.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}} Some scientists believe that bears may even be able to detect ultrasonic sounds as well.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}}
Natural observers believe that most bear species are near-sighted, which allows bears to forage for small objects such as berries.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}} However, bears are also capable of discerning faraway movements, helping them hunt prey.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}} The Kodiak bear, when compared to other species, appears to have vision comparable to a human (not near-sighted). Experiments show that black bears can see color, unlike many mammals.{{sfn|Fergus|2005|p=7}} With scientists still working to determine exactly how perceptive bear eyes are, it is difficult to compare bear eyesight with human eyesight.
==Recovery from bear attacks== Aside from the large lacerations, fractures, and other wounds that can result from bear attacks, infections are also physically detrimental. A bear's mouth is full of potentially harmful bacteria, especially if the bear has been feeding on a gut pile or feces. Bear bites can result in infections common to most animal bites, including abscesses, sepsis, and even rabies. Though there is little data, what is available from bear bite statistics indicates that bears do not tend to carry many of the most well-known dangerous anaerobic bacteria strains in their normal oral flora;<ref name = Abra2011>{{cite journal |last1=Abrahamian |first1=Fredrick M. |last2=Goldstein |first2=Ellie J. C. |title=Microbiology of Animal Bite Wound Infections |journal=Clinical Microbiology Reviews |date=April 2011 |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=231–246 |doi=10.1128/CMR.00041-10 |pmc=3122494 |pmid=21482724}}</ref> however, given the circumstances of most bear attacks, wound contamination from the environment is highly likely and means there is risk of tetanus and other external microbial agents.
Recovery from bear attacks depends on the extent of damage, but often involves long-term medical treatment. As shown in the medical procedure led by Professor Shuzhong Guo, extreme cases of bear attacks have resulted in plastic surgeries and even facial transplants that, while successful, may take several years to complete and are sometimes fatal.{{sfn|Guo|Han|Zhang|Lu|2008}}
== In captivity == Bear attacks have also happened in zoos and when bears are kept as pets.
* On August 11, 1953, 3-year-old Andrew Mark Palmer was mauled and killed while playing with his grandparents' pet bear.<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 August 1953 |title=Chained Pet Bear Kills 3-Year-Old Arizona Boy |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h7omAAAAIBAJ&pg=5083,1642591 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=The Deseret News}}</ref> * On March 31, 1969, 49-year-old Russell Ringer was crushed by his pet brown bear, which had no teeth or claws, as he entered its cage for a wrestling match at the military base.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 April 1969 |title=Toothless Bear Kills Trainer |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GnMjAAAAIBAJ&pg=5469,55563 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Sarasota Journal}}</ref> * In April 1971, a 4-year-old boy fell into the brown bear enclosure at Tiergarten Odenkirchen and was mauled to death by three bears.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=30 July 2007 |title=Tierische Geschichte |url=https://www.wz.de/nrw/moenchengladbach/tierische-geschichte_aid-31654383 |access-date=22 January 2026 |website=Westdeutsche Zeitung |language=de}}</ref> * On June 5, 1971, the 6-year-old polar bear Skandy was shot dead at Central Park Zoo after grabbing the arm of 29-year-old Oliver Jones and biting it off after he had jumped over a protective rail and put his hand between the bars. The victim was taken to a hospital. In the weeks after the incident, visitors placed many memorial tributes at the cage.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gansberg |first=Martin |date=6 June 1971 |title=Bear Killed to Save Man Who Put Arm Into Cage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/06/archives/bear-killed-to-save-man-who-put-arm-into-cage-bear-grabs-man-and-is.html |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=The New York Times |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Devlin |first=John C. |date=20 June 1971 |title=Zoo Is Getting a Successor to Skandy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/06/20/archives/zoo-is-getting-a-successor-to-skandy.html |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=The New York Times |pages=48}}</ref> * On January 19, 1972, the body of 19-year-old Richard Hale was found at the bottom of the polar bear grotto at the Toledo Zoo. There was evidence that Hale was under the influence of drugs at the time of his attack.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 January 1972 |title=Zoo Death Still A Mystery; Robber Returns Loot In Holdup; Judge Looks Down Gun Barrel |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2AQkAAAAIBAJ&pg=6732,1853832 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Toledo Blade}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 January 1972 |title=Mauling by Bear Ruled Accident |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MJgrAAAAIBAJ&pg=6351,2948743 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=The Nashua Telegraph}}</ref> * In 1974, a carnival bear mauled a 4-year-old child which could be saved by its owner.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Prater |first=William |date=14 August 1975 |title=Concessionaire's Child Killed by Carnival Bear |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BJpKAAAAIBAJ&pg=4836,3158427 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=The Nashua Telegraph}}</ref> * On August 12, 1975, while carnival workers were setting up, a bear was taken out of its cage and chained to a tree. 18-month-old Mary Ann Johns, whose parents were carnival workers, walked by and was attacked. The bear was the same animal from the 1974 incident.<ref name=":0" /> * On August 26, 1976, 43-year-old Lafayette Herbert, who had a history of mental illness, was killed after he climbed into the polar bear enclosure at the Baltimore Zoo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 August 1976 |title=Man's Body Mauled By Bears In Zoo |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UpsyAAAAIBAJ&pg=3342,185780 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Gettysburg Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=31 August 1976 |title=Man lived only two blocks from bears |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2205&dat=19760831&id=-okkAAAAIBAJ&pg=2065,1423523 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Baltimore Afro-American}}</ref> * On July 2, 1978, a bear trained to wrestle humans entered the home of its owner, professional wrestler Dave McKigney, and attacked and killed McKigney's friend, Orser, in her bedroom.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 July 1978 |title=Wrestler can't explain why trained bear killed |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mYY1AAAAIBAJ&pg=2436,629395 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=The Montreal Gazette |publisher=Canadian Press}}</ref> * In September 1982, 29-year-old Conrado Mones was killed by the 9-year-old polar bear Skandy after he climbed into its enclosure at Central Park Zoo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 September 1982 |title=A 1,000-pound polar bear that slashed and bit an... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/09/27/A-1000-pound-polar-bear-that-slashed-and-bit-an/3280401947200/ |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=United Press International}}</ref> * In May, 1987, two polar bears at Prospect Park Zoo killed and partially ate a 11-year-old boy after he climbed the enclosure's fence and swam through the moat to the middle of the compound. The two bears were subsequently shot by the police.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Gayle |date=20 May 1987 |title=Two polar bears kill 11-year-old |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/05/20/Two-polar-bears-kill-11-year-old/9511548481600/ |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=United Press International}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Barron |first=James |date=20 May 1987 |title=POLAR BEARS KILL A CHILD AT PROSPECT PARK ZOO |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/20/nyregion/polar-bears-kill-a-child-at-prospect-park-zoo.html |access-date=6 February 2026 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> * On October 1, 1988, a 57-year-old zookeeper at Bremerhaven Zoo was attacked and killed by the 15-year-old male polar bear Herbert who probably entered an inside section of the enclosure through an unlocked door.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 October 1988 |title=Eisbär tötete Wärter |trans-title=Polar bear killed zookeeper |url=https://taz.de/Eisbaer-toetete-Waerter/!1836243/ |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=Die Tageszeitung |language=de |issn=0931-9085}}</ref> * On September 5, 2006, two polars at Bremerhaven Zoo attacked and severely injured a 25-year-old zookeeper. He was saved by his father, a zoo inspector, while the bears were distracted by food and shots of the police.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 September 2006 |title=Eisbären verletzen Pfleger |trans-title=Polar bears injure zookeeper |url=https://www.welt.de/print-welt/article150464/Eisbaeren-verletzen-Pfleger.html |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=DIE WELT |language=de}}</ref> * On April 22, 2008, the 5-year-old trained grizzly bear Rocky killed its 39-year-old trainer Stephan Miller by biting his neck.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=23 April 2008 |title=Grizzly Bear That Appeared in Will Ferrell Film Kills Trainer in California |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/grizzly-bear-that-appeared-in-will-ferrell-film-kills-trainer-in-california |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}</ref> * On April 10, 2009, a woman jumped into the polar bear enclosure at Berlin Zoo during feeding time and was bitten in her back by one of the animals. She was taken to a nearby hospital.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=13 April 2009 |title=Polar Bear Attacks Woman in Berlin Zoo |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmazingAnimals/story?id=7320751&page=1 |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=ABC News}}</ref> * On October 4, 2009, 37-year-old Kelly Ann Walz was killed by her pet black bear when cleaning its cage.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=5 October 2009 |title=Kelly Ann Walz killed by her pet black bear |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/la-unleashed/story/2009-10-05/kelly-ann-walz-killed-by-her-pet-black-bear |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> * In November 2009, a 25-year-old mentally handicapped man climbed into the Bärengraben in Bern to have a picnic with the brown bears. The 6-year-old bear Finn severely attacked him, biting his torso and shaking his body around for seven minutes, until the police shot and wounded the animal.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=22 November 2009 |title=Bern scene of bear attack |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/aging-society/bern-scene-of-bear-attack/7706386 |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 November 2009 |title=Dramatic pictures of horrific bear attack in Bern - Man mauled by Finn in Switzerland |url=https://www.bild.de/news/bild-english/dramatic-horrific-pictures-as-man-mauled-by-finn-10557342.bild.html |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=bild.de |language=de}}</ref> * On August 18, 2010, a girl climbed a 1-metre-tall fence and fell into the Asian black bear enclosure at Eifel-Zoo in Lünebach, Germany. There, she and her father who tried to save her were attacked. The two were later taken to a hospital.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 August 2010 |title=Eifel: Bär verletzt Vater und Tochter in Zoo |trans-title=Eifel: Bear injures father and daughter in zoo |url=https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/eifel-baer-verletzt-vater-und-tochter-in-zoo-a-712708.html |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=Der Spiegel |language=de |issn=2195-1349}}</ref> * On August 19, 2010, 24-year-old caretaker Brent Kandra was killed by a bear kept as an exotic pet of Sam Mazzola when it was out of its cage for feeding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheeran |first=Thomas J. |date=20 August 2010 |title=Ohio bear owned by PETA foe kills its caretaker |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700058738/Ohio-bear-owned-by-PETA-foe-kills-its-caretaker.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823024237/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700058738/Ohio-bear-owned-by-PETA-foe-kills-its-caretaker.html |archive-date=23 August 2010 |access-date=6 February 2026 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> * On January 5, 2011, a bear mauled and killed a 55-year-old worker in a zoo in Stavropol.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 January 2011 |title=Bear kills worker at Russian zoo |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/01/05/Bear-kills-worker-at-Russian-zoo/12531294255521/ |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=United Press International}}</ref> * In August 2017, a 19-year-old zookeeper at the now closed Orsa Rovdjurspark in Sweden was mauled to death by a 2-year-old brown bear who apparently dug its way back to the enclosure.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 August 2017 |title=Bear kills zookeeper at Sweden's Orsa Rovdjurspark |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40829478 |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=BBC}}</ref> * In August 2017, a visitor of at the Badaling Wildlife World animal park near Beijing, China, was bitten in the shoulder by a bear after he had ignored park warnings and rolled down his car window.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 August 2017 |title=Bear bites man in China 'tiger death' wildlife park |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-41008411 |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=BBC}}</ref> * In November 2018, a brown bear at Tierpark Westerhausen in Thale, Germany, attacked and severely injured a zookeeper.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richter |first=Benjamin |date=15 November 2018 |title=Nach Bären-Angriff im Tierpark Westerhausen: Gewerbeaufsicht findet keine Sicherheitslücken |trans-title=Following bear attack at Westerhausen Zoo: Trade supervisory authority finds no security gaps |url=https://www.mz.de/mitteldeutschland/landkreis-harz/nach-baren-angriff-im-tierpark-westerhausen-gewerbeaufsicht-findet-keine-sicherheitslucken-1502672 |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=Mitteldeutsche Zeitung |language=de}}</ref> * In October 2019, the 16-year-old bear Yashka attacked its trainer Ruslan Solodyuk during a circus performance in the Russian town Olonets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=VanHoose |first=Benjamin |date=25 October 2019 |title=Russian Handler Survives Mauling by 660-Lb. Circus Bear — See the Shocking Video |url=https://people.com/pets/bear-attacks-handler-circus-russia/ |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=People.com}}</ref> * In October 2020, a zoo worker was killed by bears in front of a visitor bus in Shanghai Zoo.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 October 2020 |title=Shanghai zoo fatal bear attack: Visitors see worker being killed |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-54596717 |access-date=6 January 2026 |work=BBC}}</ref> * On December 21, 2022, a 35-year-old zookeeper at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was mauled by the 5-year-old male American black bear Johnny that had breached its enclosure. Although the bear didn't have its canine teeth, she suffered lacerations to her to her back, thighs and head. The animal was shot dead.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=22 December 2022 |title=Zookeeper injured, bear shot and killed in exhibit 'breach' at Jacksonville Zoo |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2022/12/22/bear-attacks-zookeeper-at-jacksonville-zoo-and-gardens/69749400007/ |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=jacksonville.com}}</ref> * On December 6, 2025, an Asian black bear attacked an animal trainer at Hangzhou Safari Park shortly before the beginning of a show. Later, the trainer claimed that the bear was simply going for a bag of carrots.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McRady |first=Rachel |date=8 December 2025 |title=Bear Lunges at Trainer and Tackles Him to the Ground in Front of Shocked Crowd at Animal Park |url=https://people.com/bear-attacks-trainer-crowd-watches-animal-park-china-11863940 |access-date=6 January 2026 |website=People.com}}</ref>
== In fiction == Some natural horror films such as ''Grizzly'' (1976), ''Grizzly Rage'' (2007), ''Into the Grizzly Maze'' (2015) and ''Cocaine Bear'' (2023) feature man-eating bears.
The 2002 Western novel ''The Revenant'', written by Michael Punke, and its 2015 film adaptation, are based on events in the life of trapper Hugh Glass, including his survival of a grizzly bear attack in 1823.
A grizzly bear attack is also featured in the 1981 Disney animated film ''The Fox and the Hound''.
Mor'du from Pixar's ''Brave'' (2012) is a prince who was transformed into a demonic bear. At the beginning and in the climax of the film, he attacks Merida and her family.
The episode "Kill Team Kill" of Volume 3 of the adult animated series ''Love, Death & Robots'' features a cybernetically enhanced grizzly bear who attacks a team of US Army Green Berets.
==See also== * List of fatal bear attacks in North America * Sankebetsu brown bear incident * Bear danger * Timothy Treadwell * Binky (polar bear) * List of large carnivores known to prey on humans
==References== {{reflist|2}}
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==External links== * [http://www.attackvideo.com/bear-attack-videos/ Bear Attack Videos] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20121120181720/http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/are-guns-more-effective-pepper-spray-alaska-bear-attack?page=0,0 Are guns more effective than pepper spray in an Alaska bear attack?] * [http://www.danbigley.com Alaska Bear Attack Survivor - Dan Bigley] * {{cite news |last1=Cunningham |first1=Thomas |last2=Burnett |first2=Garrett |title=How to Avoid Bear Attacks (and other small business concerns) |url=https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2012/08/23/small-business/ |work=NIOSH Science Blog |date=23 August 2012}} * [http://yourlisten.com/Rich.Vernadeau/ts-1000801-liard-hot-springs-black-bear-attack TS-1000801 Liard Hot Springs Black bear Attack Uploaded by Rich.Vernadeau at Your Listen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128111728/http://yourlisten.com/Rich.Vernadeau/ts-1000801-liard-hot-springs-black-bear-attack |date=January 28, 2016}} *[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86063952/1894-07-07/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=07%2F03%2F1894&index=4&date2=07%2F07%2F1894&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=shoot&proxdistance=5&state=Oklahoma&rows=20&ortext=shooting&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=range&page=1 The Guthrie daily leader., July 07, 1894, Image 4 "Trapped and fought a bear.."]
{{Animal bites and stings}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bear Attacks}} Category:Bear attacks