The bear was walking across the 80ft (24.38 meters) high bridge on Highway 40 near Donner Summit in the Sierra Nevada when the closeness of two oncoming cars spooked it, causing it to jump over the railing. Falling, it managed to grab on to a ledge and pull itself onto a concrete girder beneath the bridge. Local volunteers tranquilized and rescued the stranded bear.

Sierra Sun

photographs

Seattle Times:

The man was biking, with his two dogs, in Banner Forest Heritage Park near Olalla around noon when he encountered the bear, said Ron Powers, a battalion chief for South Kitsap Fire and Rescue. The dogs were in front of him on the trail when he heard them barking. He came around a blind corner and was face to face with the bear, Powers said.

The bear charged, and the man picked up his bike to protect himself. But the bear reached through the bike and ripped at the man’s arm, face, back, neck and ear before backing off, Powers said.

“We haven’t had an unprovoked attack like this in a lot of years,” Jackson said. “You’d have to go back 30 or 40 years at least.”

The man was able to get on his bike and ride away. He eventually encountered two other bikers, who called 911. He was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, where his condition was upgraded Monday from serious to satisfactory.

Authorities set five bear traps Monday at the park, which is expected to remain closed for two weeks. When caught, the bear will be killed. “When it attacks a person, we put it down,” Jackson said.

But some left coast neighbors are defending the bear:

The Department of Fish and Wildlife has set up traps for a bear that attacked a bicyclist on Sunday, and officials say the bear will likely be killed.

But people who live near Banner Forest Heritage Park say the animal did nothing wrong.

Anthony Blasioli, 51, was biking with his two dogs alongside him when he encountered the bear Sunday morning.

The bear charged at the man, cutting his arms, back and neck before he managed to get away. He’s being treated at a Tacoma hospital and was listed in satisfactory condition.

Officials think the bear may have been defending its cubs, and that is what has area residents protesting plans to kill the animal.

“It’s mean, it’s cruel, it’s bad,” said Mike Leathers. “We’re in their territory. The bear and her cubs need to be relocated.”

Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Duane Makoviney it’s very rare for a bear to attack a human, and they have no choice but to euthanize it.

“It could have been worse. We could have a fatality here and we certainly don’t want that to happen,” he said.

Carol Maddux lives just miles from the park and she says bears are seen frequently in the area.

“They’re not aggressive,” she said. “They will back away from you anyone knows that.”

Former Marine Chris Everhart was camping with his three sons, ages 6 to 11, at Low Gap Creek Campgrounds near Helen, Georgia in the Chattahochee National Forest.

Around 9:30 in the evening, a (variously reported as 275 or 300 lb – 125 or 136 kg) female black bear invaded the Everhart campsite, attempting to make off with a food cooler. The overly adventuresome six-year-old Logan Everhart sprang to his family’s defense, seized a shovel and advanced on the bear trying to frighten off the dangerous predator. The bear responded by growling and advancing on the small boy.

Everhart’s knife and pistol were packed away and out of reach, so the desperate father simply grabbed the first weapon that came to hand: a large piece of firewood. Everhart flung the log, striking the bear in the head, fatally. Everhart’s score was one log, one bear.

Everhart was a hero to his sons, but not to the government. The Forest Service promptly gave him a $75 ticket for “failing to secure his campsite.”

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

AP

A black bear (Ursus americanus) made two attacks on campers’ tents in a camping area about two miles above Timpooneke campground in American Fork Canyon, Utah on Sunday.

BYU Newsnet:

The first incident took place before dawn when a bear swatted a tent. The DWR dispatched hunters and hounds to the scene to kill the bear, but conditions were hot and dry and the search was unsuccessful, Karpowitz said.

The second incident took place at about 11 p.m. The boy was alone in a section of the family’s multi-room tent when the bear slashed the tent open and removed the boy in his sleeping bag. …

More than 30 law enforcement officers, four civilians and several bear hounds assisted in the search for the boy, checking nearby campgrounds and vehicles leaving the canyon.

At 1:35 a.m., the boy’s remains were found 300-400 yards from the family’s campsite.

Root said agents from the Division of Wildlife Resources and houndsmen from State Wildlife Resources shot the bear just after noon on Monday.

Deseret News

MSNBC 2:51 video

We almost missed this one. Just found it via a link to NYM.

Associated Press, recently reported (10/12), the case of a spirited and quick-thinking babysitting aunt who saved two nieces and a nephew from an aggressive black bear.

Porthill, Idaho — A northern Idaho babysitter shot and killed a 422-pound black bear that broke into a backyard as three toddlers played.

The woman was watching her sister’s children at their home near the Canadian border early last week when one the kids began screaming, “Bear! Bear”

Becky Henslee says her sister grabbed the youngsters and ran into the house.

As the bear pawed at the screen door, the woman, who did not want to be identified, loaded a hunting rifle.

When the bear looked away, she opened the door a crack and fired twice, killing the animal.

Idaho Fish and Game Conservation Officer Greg Johnson says the bear was likely hungry and drawn to the house by a backyard barbeque.

The shooting was legal — the babysitter had a valid Idaho bear hunting tag.

Bonner County Daily Bee

Hat tip to Traction Control.

Tom Tilley and Sam the dog

Reading of the death of Dr. Jacqueline Perry, last September, in a bear attack, Waterloo, Ontario resident Tom Tilley resolved to arm himself with a six inch hunting knife. Perry’s husband had tried unsuccessfully to drive off the bear which was attacking his wife, futilely stabbing at it with a Swiss Army knife.

(Since this was Canada, nobody even thought of carrying a gun.)

Tilley’s decision to carry the knife proved providential. Last week, during a 12-day canoe trip, Tilley found himself being stalked by an aggressive black bear near Abbey Lake (in the vicinity of Wawa, Ontario)

When the bear blocked Tilley’s path, and began advancing menacingly, Sam, his Staffordshire terrier, came out from behind his master, and placed himself between Tilley and the bear.

The bear grabbed the dog in his jaws, but thinking to himself “‘You’re not going to kill my dog,” the horrified Tilley drew his knife, and advanced to the attack. Tilley leaped onto the bear’s back, and began stabbing. Though bitten on the hand, Tom Tilley killed that bear.

The wounded man was able to drag his canoe over a short portage and crossed a nearby lake where he was able to find some American campers equipped with a satellite phone. They summoned a float plane for an emergency medical evacuation.

Kitchener-Waterloo Record

Jacqueline Perry attack

Wikipedia has a incomplete list of fatal North American bear attacks. There have been a dozen people killed by black bears since the year 2000.