Couple Injured as They Fight Off Black Bear in Northern California

California got another reminder as to why there is a bruin on its state flag, as a bear attacked a couple outside their home in the northern part of the state, inflicting “significant” injuries as they fought it off with a hatchet and a water bottle.

The incident unfolded in Mammoth Lakes, located about 260 miles east of San Francisco in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, when the woman resident went outside to investigate when she heard one of her dogs barking around 6 a.m., authorities told news outlets.

She discovered one of the couple’s dogs in an altercation with a 70-pound black bear, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

The situation became more volatile as her other dog also ran out and got involved in the battle, according to Mammoth Lakes police.

When woman decided to intervene, the situation went from bad to worse.

“She attempted to break up the fight between the two and was yelling, and the bear turned on her and ended up attacking her,” said Kory Collins, assistant chief with the CDFW law enforcement division, told the Los Angeles Times.

Meanwhile, her husband heard the commotion and emerged from the home and also tried to stop the attack, only to have the bear turn on him.

“His wife used the opportunity to retrieve a water bottle and got the bear off of him,” the Times reported. “The man then ran inside to grab a weapon.”

He returned with a hatchet.

“He fought the bear off with [the] hatchet, and ultimately they both got away,” Collins said.

The husband’s defense reportedly inflicted critical injuries to the bruin. The CDFW euthanized the 17-month-old bear, believing it was a threat to public safety.

The couple was hospitalized with serious injuries, mainly bites and claw marks, officials said.

While the bear was young and far under the more than 300-to-400-pound weight of a mature black bear, it still can pose a threat to humans during an attack.

“A bear that is 70 pounds can cause significant damage,” Collins said. “Wild animals are very strong, very resilient and this could have been a lot worse.”

“Incidents like this are extremely rare in Mammoth Lakes,” city Police Chief Dan Casabians said in a statement. “Bears almost always avoid humans and will flee when confronted. This type of aggressive behavior is highly unusual.”

Mammoth Lakes is a popular recreation area that features fishing, hiking, and skiing on the nearby world-class Mammoth Mountain. The attractions draw more than three million visitors each year.

While the bruin pictured on the state flag is the now-extinct California grizzly, the image evokes the reminder that its cousin the black bear remains common in rural and wilderness regions of the more than 1000-mile-long state.

The two dogs involved in the incident are expected to fully recover from minor injuries sustained in their wildlife battle.

Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more