Man injured protecting wife from polar bear in northern Ontario, police say

A man in Fort Severn First Nation, Ont., was injured Tuesday morning in a polar bear attack, said the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS).

"The man who leapt onto a polar bear to protect his wife from being mauled is recovering from serious injuries to his arm and legs, but is expected to recover," said NAPS in an emailed release.

The couple had come out of their home in the First Nation to find their dogs sometime before 5 a.m. and found a polar bear in their driveway, said police.

The bear lunged at the woman, NAPS said. 

"The woman slipped to [the] ground as her husband leapt onto the animal to prevent its attack. The bear then attacked the male, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries to his arm and legs," said the release. 

Neighbour helped man being attacked

As the man tried to fight off the bear, a neighbour came and shot it, police said. The bear backed off after being shot multiple times. 

Police arrived to the home after receiving reports of gunshots and a possible bear sighting.

They found the polar bear, which had died of its injuries in a nearby wooded area, according to NAPS. 

Police patrolled the community to ensure there weren't any other polar bears roaming, said the release.

Fort Severn is a Cree First Nation near Hudson Bay. It is home to roughly 500 people and is the northernmost community in Ontario.

Bears that attack often hungry, unwell, scientist says

Polar bears rarely attack humans, said Alysa McCall, director of conservation outreach and a staff scientist at Polar Bears International.

When attacks do happen, the bears involved are often hungry, young or unwell. 

If you're attacked by a polar bear, definitely do not play dead — that is a myth. Fight as long as you can. ​​​​​- Alysa McCall, Polar Bears International

"A healthy polar bear that's out on the sea ice is not going to have a lot of incentive to attack a human being," said McCall.

Polar bears around Hudson Bay prefer to be out on the sea, ice hunting seals, she said. When the ice breaks up, they come inland in search of food.

McCall said the ice breakup was a little earlier than usual in southern Hudson Bay this year

"It could be that [when] this attack happened, maybe this bear was a little hungrier than usual," she said. 

As climate change causes ocean temperatures to fluctuate, McCall said this means sea ice patterns change, which impacts how far inland bears go throughout the year. 

"That might mean that they go looking for food in other places, and that means coming into contact with communities and people more than they used to," she said. 

Polar bears that come in contact with people in communities are usually following smells of attractants like garbage or food, she said.

McCall recommended locking up waste to prevent attracting bears and travelling in groups when in bear country. 

"If you're attacked by a polar bear, definitely do not play dead — that is a myth," she said, "Fight as long as you can."