In the scenic town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, something unusual happened. A bear, not acting like bears usually do, attacked a man named Andrew Neirer. The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed that the bear had rabies. This is not common for bears, as they usually mind their own business. Andrew was lucky; he survived the attack and will be just fine. The bear, however, was shot by a nearby homeowner and tested positive for rabies. It's important to know that rabies can affect any mammal, but male bears living alone reduce the risk of others getting infected.

Andrew was just walking on a stone trail near his home when he saw the bear. He tried to walk away, but the bear followed him. He shared his thoughts with WBRE, saying the bear was probably hungry due to the weird weather. "They’re hungry. They’re starving. They’re supposed to be in hibernation. This weather is weird lately, " he said. He didn't blame the bear and felt bad for it. "It could’ve been a lot worse. Luckily he saved me, he shot it. I feel bad for the bear ’cause they really do not bother you that much. Just, anything happens, " he added.

Bear attacks are rare, but as the bear population grows, problems with them increase. In Pennsylvania, especially in the northeast, the bear population has grown a lot since the 1970s. There were only 4, 000 bears then, but now there are around 18, 000. This means more bear complaints too. In the late 1990s, there were about 600 complaints in the northeast region, but by 2002, that number had risen to 1, 100.

If you see an animal acting strangely, it's best to report it to the Game Commission. They have a special number for this: 1-833-PGC-WILD.

Bear Attack in Pennsylvania: Unusual Behavior, Rabies Confirmed

Actions