New York Bear Attack

MYFOXNY.COM - A man escaped serious injury with a bear encounter in his Putnam County yard.

A 36-year-old man lives on Hemlock Trail Court in Lake Carmel.  He reportedly got between two bear cubs and their mother.

The adult bear knocked him down and scratched him but he escaped further injury.

Lake Carmel Fire Chief James Hauth said an ambulance was called to the man's home after the confrontation but he declined medical attention.

The bears are still on the loose.  Despite the large bear population in the New York suburbs, attacks on humans are rare.

In an infamous case from 2002 a black bear plucked a five-month old girl from a stroller in Fallsburg, N.Y. After a chase by the parents, the bear released the girl from its jaws, but she died of her injuries.

In 2007, people shot video and took photos of a huge bear that wandered through Putnam neighborhoods.

There are an estimated 6,000-7,000 bears in New York.  The Department of Environmental Conservation says that black bears may be found in all areas of upstate New York. They are found in forests mixed with open areas and wetlands. They are also found in farmland and are sometimes attracted to cornfields where they may cause great damage.

An average adult male weighs about 300 pounds while females average about 170 pounds. The largest bear reported from New York weighed approximately 750 pounds.