Officials said on Thursday that the bear that attacked a man in Pennsylvania this week has been proven to have rabies.
On Sunday, a bear “aggressively approached” a guy in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, which is located in the gorgeous Pocono Mountains.
The bear then began to attack and scratch the victim, according to a post made by the Pennsylvania Game Commission on Facebook. The commission pointed out that this is not typical behavior for bears.
Andrew Neirer, the man who was attacked, survived and is likely to recover completely.
A homeowner who lived close shot and killed the bear, and then the body was transported away for testing.
“Today, January 23, 2025, the results of the tests showed the bear was positive for rabies. The person involved is expected to have a full recovery and has received appropriate medical treatment,” the commission stated.
“While rabies in bears is rare and a case emerging in a given area usually is isolated, rabies poses a risk to all mammals. In this particular case, male bears typically den alone therefore reducing the risk of other bear being exposed to rabies,” according to the statement.
While strolling on a stone trail close to his home, Neirer was assaulted. He told WBRE that he saw the bear in the center of the trail. The bear pursued him when he attempted to go away.
He stated that he did not feel any resentment toward the animal and that it was likely searching for food in the cold, but unpredictable, weather.
“They’re hungry. They’re starving. They’re supposed to be in hibernation. This weather is weird lately,” he stated.
“Hot, cold, warm, cold. Emotional, I’m not drained from it. Just part of life, move on. 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.
Although black bear assaults are extremely uncommon, the number of bear-related incidents has increased in recent decades due to the rapid growth of the bear population, especially in the northeastern portion of Pennsylvania.
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According to data from the state administration, there were just 4,000 in the state in the 1970s, but currently there are an estimated 18,000.
In the late 1990s, there were around 600 complaints concerning bears from the 13 counties that make up the northeast region. By 2002, that number had increased to 1,100.
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If you spot any animals behaving strangely, you should contact the Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD.
