A 64-year-old Maine woman punched a bear that was chasing her dog, prompting the bear to bite back, state wildlife authorities said Friday.
The woman was treated for puncture wounds to her wrist following the 11:30 a.m. confrontation on Friday, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said in a statement.
The dog was unharmed.
The resident of Porter, Maine, confronted the black bear “head on” after it chased her dog out of nearby woods, the wildlife department said.
“And when the bear stood up, she stood up as tall as she could, then punched the bear in the nose, whereupon the bear bit her in the right hand, puncturing her wrist,” it said.
The bear released the woman and fled, the department said.
Wildlife officials set live-capture traps in the area, but there have been no sightings of the animal since it ran off, Mark Latti, a spokesman for the department, said Saturday night.
It was one of a few recent confrontations between humans and wild animals.
In Litchfield, Connecticut, on Saturday, a 65-year-old homeowner was hospitalized with injuries not believed to be life-threatening when got between his dog and a bear attacking it, NBC Connecticut reported.
The dog was taken to a veterinarian for treatment, it said.
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Environmental Conservation Police said the bear was checking out a bird feeder when the dog gave chase, according to the station.
Also in Connecticut, a bobcat was killed after it attacked a camp leader who was sleeping in a hammock during a youth expedition in the woods.
The leader and two other adults at the expedition killed the bobcat. They were taken to a hospital for undisclosed injuries following the Friday incident, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said.
Bobcats rarely interact with or attack humans, experts say.
To prevent bear attacks, New England wildlife officials urge residents not leave bird feeders, pet food, garbage, or grills outdoors, particularly in spring, summer, and fall.
