A man who jumped onto a polar bear to protect his wife from being mauled in Canada is recovering from serious injuries, local officials said this week.
Nishnawbe Aski Police Service officers responded to a home in a residential area of Ontario after reports of gunfire and, at the scene, said they discovered a dead polar bear.
Before officers arrived, the department announced in a news release, police had received reports of a possible bear sighting in the same area.
Arriving officers learned a husband and wife at the address left their home at 5 a.m. to look for their dogs.
While in the driveway of their home, a polar bear lunged at the wife, the release said.
“The woman slipped to ground as her husband leapt onto the animal to prevent its attack,” officers wrote in the release.
The bear then attacked the husband, police said, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries to his arm and legs.
During the attack, police reported, a neighbor arrived with a firearm and shot the bear several times. The bear retreated to a wooded area, where it died from its injuries.
The husband, police reported, was taken to a community medical center. He was expected to recover, police reported.
After the attack, police said, officers patrolled the area around the home to make sure no other polar bears were nearby.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.