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Calif. woman attacked by bear expected to recover
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-24 09:07 Hansen, who has a ranch in the tiny rural community of Twin Oaks, near Caliente, was walking in heavy underbrush on her property Tuesday morning with her dogs when she was attacked, Dunning said. Her English mastiff may have tried to defend her, Dunning speculated, because it suffered some scratches. An Irish wolfhound was unhurt. "She had to rely on her dogs and her wits," Dunning said. "She's one tough woman." Dunning said the attack took place very close to a recent wildfire and speculated that the vast burn area may have pushed the bear into new territory. "We just had 30,000 acres burn out here and those animals are looking for habitat," he said. The bear may have attacked to defend that new territory, he said. Brennan, the wildlife biologist, said there are about 30,000 California black bears and they are not uncommon in the region of the attack, especially at this time of year when young males are moving about. State game wardens had not had a chance to interview Hansen about the attack and so it was unclear what provoked it, Brennan said. However, "dogs have been known to agitate bears," he said. Brennan advised people never to approach a bear but not to give up if attacked. People have been known to drive off bears, he said. "If attacked, fight back," he said. The attack was the 13th reported in California since 1980. Records indicate that the last attack in Kern County took place in August 1988 in the Piute Mountains when a female with two cubs attacked and injured a camping couple. |
