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Video posted to Twitter shows 73-year-old hunter on mountain high in Brittany holding nose in pain
Police in Brittany have issued a travel alert for the forest after a 70-year-old hunter suffered “serious injuries” after being attacked by a bear.
Police said a 73-year-old local man had found the bear, thought to be just 16 months old, on Saturday evening and was holding the animal’s nose while trying to scare it off.
“As he was walking, the bear crushed the hunter and started dragging him into the woods,” a police spokeswoman said. “He’s in a serious condition.”
Video posted to Twitter by Philippe Previtera showed the hunter with his shirt ripped, his face bloodied and his head bloodied.
“He’s been hunting for 40 years,” said regional police commander Maurice Hortiette. “It was quite shocking.”
Rescue teams worked through the night and an operation was launched to tranquilise the bear.
Forestry officials said the bear, spotted near the village of Nogar, had been spotted several times in the forest, where permission was granted for hunting parties to hunt.
But, Hortiette said, the circumstances of the attack were unclear. “If the animal does indeed attack, it’s rare,” he said.