Shayne Patrick Burke was on a brief hike this month to {photograph} owls within the backcountry of Grand Teton Nationwide Park in Wyoming when he noticed a grizzly bear cub about 50 to 70 yards in entrance of him.
Immediately, Mr. Burke knew that the cub’s presence signaled hassle, he wrote on Instagram.
Moments later, Mr. Burke, 35, was attacked by the cub’s mom.
He turned his again, acquired on his abdomen and locked his palms behind his neck, following recommendation he had examine grizzly bear assaults, he stated.
Through the assault, on Could 19, the bear repeatedly bit Mr. Burke and picked him up and slammed him to the bottom, earlier than, he wrote, considered one of his screams “sadly, however luckily, turned her consideration to my head.”
It was a terrifying second, however it in the end saved his life.
The bear bit at Mr. Burke’s neck, however his palms and arms have been nonetheless interlocked behind it and, crucially, he had grabbed a can of bear spray when he noticed the cub.
“I by no means let go of the bear spray can,” he wrote. “As she bit my palms behind my neck she concurrently bit the bear spray can and it exploded in her mouth.”
The explosion scared the bear away.
Mr. Burke, a disabled veteran within the Military Reserve, stated that the assault was “essentially the most violent” factor he had skilled, including, “I’ve skilled being shot at, mortared and I.E.D. explosions.”
Grand Teton Nationwide Park stated that Mr. Burke, who was visiting from Massachusetts, was discharged from a hospital on Monday and was anticipated to make a full restoration.
The park stated that the assault gave the impression to be a defensive motion by the bear, which was responding to a “shock encounter.” The bear has not been recognized and Grand Teton stated that no additional “administration motion,” which might embrace euthanizing the bear, was required.
On Instagram, Mr. Burke wrote that he had requested the park rangers to not kill the bear as a result of he understood that she was defending her cub.
He stated that the assault was a “fallacious place, fallacious time” scenario. He had deliberate to take an hourlong stroll within the hopes of recognizing a fantastic grey owl to {photograph}.
He stated the assault occurred about 90 minutes after he left the parking zone. He was attempting to get again as rapidly as doable as a result of he knew his spouse had anticipated him there earlier.
He stated he had an “uncomfortable feeling” as he was winding by way of a thick, wooded valley. He adopted security steerage for the scenario and made noise.
“I used to be breaking branches, singing and speaking to myself aloud,” he stated.
He had unholstered his bear spray after seeing the cub however the mom was already charging at him. Mr. Burke stated that he heard the bear run away after it bit the can of spray.
After Mr. Burke distanced himself from the bear, he known as his spouse. She helped him work out use the provides he had, together with straps from his backpack and digicam bag, to make tourniquets round his legs.
He might inform that he had averted a ruptured artery, essentially the most harmful and pressing sort of bleeding.
“I laid alone within the woods gripping my knife with my again to a tree simply hoping the bear wasn’t to return,” Mr. Burke wrote.
He additionally known as 911, which was in a position to triangulate his location for a helicopter rescue.
Mr. Burke stated that he thought he was going to die and had recorded a video telling these near him that he cherished them.
The primary park rangers to succeed in Mr. Burke supplied emergency medical care earlier than he was airlifted to an ambulance. Mr. Burke stated that he had surgical procedure to scrub and staple his wounds.
He described himself as being poorly ready for a medical emergency as a result of he had meant to take a brief stroll by way of roadside woods. Normally, he stated, he carries a primary assist equipment.
Mr. Burke stated that the highest issues that saved him alive have been that he had beforehand examine what to do in case of a bear assault and that he was carrying bear spray that he knew use.
Individuals are suggested to play useless and lock their palms behind their neck, simply as Mr. Burke did, within the occasion of a grizzly bear assault. If a black bear assaults, don’t play useless.
