In brief
A devastating bear attack in Poland's Bieszczady region led to the death of a 58-year-old woman while she was collecting antlers with her son. The incident occurred when the son, who was talking to her on the phone, heard her scream before losing contact. Local authorities have urged residents to avoid forest areas following the attack and are investigating the incident, which is one of the few fatal encounters with bears in the area in recent years.
A 58-year-old woman has been killed by a bear in a remote mountainous area in Poland, according to her son and the local government.The incident took place when the woman and her 27-year-old son were walking separately in a forest near the town of Płonna in the south-eastern Bieszczady region.A firefighter at the scene reported that the son was on the phone with her when he heard her scream, Bear, bear! before the call ended. He immediately raised the alarm, but by the time emergency services arrived, the woman was already dead, with reports indicating she had lacerated and extensive head injuries.Local authorities, including Bukowsko Commune, have advised people to steer clear of nearby forest areas due to the incident, marking a rare encounter between humans and brown bears in Poland, where there are only about 100 bears, mostly in Bieszczady. Fatal incidents involving bears are extremely rare, with the last reported deadly attack occurring in 2014.Emergency services faced challenges in reaching the site due to difficult terrain and poor phone reception. A local police officer confirmed that the son had stepped away briefly when the attack happened, adding to the tragedy of the situation.The victim's son speculated that she may have unknowingly approached the bear, which lies down in places that resemble dark soil. Investigations continue, and local wildlife experts have discussed increased bear activity as the animals emerge from winter hibernation in search of food, urging caution in human-animal interactions.
