A cyclist was attacked by a bear in the Cantwell area. Alaska State Troopers report being notified about a Tuesday morning incident in which the victim said he was riding alone along the Jack River in the vicinity of the Parks Highway when he saw a brown bear running toward him.
Troopers say the man told them he jumped off his bike and yelled at the bear, then fell as the animal made contact, biting him on the lower leg, before it ran off.
The man reported walking to the highway and calling a friend for a ride to the Healy Medical Clinic for treatment of puncture wounds and a laceration.
The victim said he saw bear tracks in the snow prior to the attack, and that he was carrying a gun but did not fire it.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
