A polar bear on the outskirts of Resolute Bay, Nunavut. Photo: APTN file
Police in a northern Ontario First Nation say a man who jumped onto a polar bear that lunged at his wife early this morning has been seriously injured but is expected to recover.
The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service says a couple stepped out of their home in Fort Severn First Nation before 5 a.m. to check on their dogs only to come across a polar bear in their driveway.
Fort Severn is about nine kilometers from the mouth of the Severn River on Hudson Bay.
Police say the bear lunged at the woman, who slipped on the ground.
They say her husband jumped onto the bear to prevent it from mauling her, and the bear then attacked the man, leaving him with serious injuries to his arms and legs.
Police say a neighbour arrived and shot the bear several times. The bear took off and died in a nearby wooded area.
Police say the injured man has been taken to the community nursing station for treatment, while officers patrolled the area to make sure there were no other bears around.
