Man jumps into bear pit in Berne zoo

[ibarelycare]

Warning: Kinda graphic pics!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...enclosure.html

A man hangs in the jaws of a bear, seemingly about to endure a most horrendous death by being ripped apart by massive jaws and razor-sharp claws.
But in the end it was the bear who ended up fighting for his life - shot with a police bullet in order to save the man's life.

These dramatic photographs were taken by a visitor to the Berne Bear Park, Switzerland, at the weekend when European brown bear Finn, aged four, suddenly realised he had an uninvited human guest - said yesterday to be mentally handicapped - in his enclosure.





The man perched for ten minutes on a 20ft wall above Finn's pit before he jumped in.
That allowed worried park officials time to call police.

They arrived, armed with 9mm 'fragmentation' ammunition which splinters on impact, just seconds before the man jumped down into the danger zone.

The bear quickly grabbed him.

Finn picked up the intruder as if he were a rag doll, carting him to the other side of his enclosure, which opened last month.











And as his massive jaws and teeth - capable of crushing steel - sank into his prey, police had to act fast. They were left with no option but to open fire, they said.
Finn was hit with a single bullet to the chest.

Police, ambulancemen and zoo-keepers rushed in.

The man, who has not been named, was quickly taken away on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance.

He was treated in hospital for severe head and leg injuries, and his condition yesterday was said to be comfortable.









Finn meanwhile was treated at the bear park by vets who decided not to operate to remove the bullet splinters, treating him with antibiotics, to which he was said to be responding well.

Bears are special for the people of Berne, being the city's symbol since the Middle Ages.
Briton Sam Brookes, who was visiting the park with his girlfriend when the attack happened, said: 'I looked in after I heard people screaming.
'The bear was standing over him and throwing him back and forth.
'Some yelled, "Get stones" to throw at the bear. I think most people had an awful shock. I can still see it when I close my eyes.'
Police and zoo officials say there has been an outpouring of public sympathy - for the bear.

Bouquets of flowers and pots of honey have been placed outside his enclosure.

This is sad. The bear was just reacting with its own animal instints and was shot in the chest, but the man was supposedly mentally handicapped so no one knows what was going on in his head. Hope they're both ok!

[Max Power1]

Originally Posted by ibarelycare

Warning: Kinda graphic pics!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...enclosure.html




This is sad. The bear was just reacting with its own animal instints and was shot in the chest, but the man was supposedly mentally handicapped so no one knows what was going on in his head. Hope they're both ok!

Ridiculous. the bear was shot with tranquilisers just becase some human takes leave of sanity and jumps into the bears territory. I add a plus one to the people in the article saying there was public outcry of sympathy for the bear.

[OnTheBalls]

Ah that's disgusting. I couldn't bear to look beyond the second photo.

[Gone Drinking]

I don't see the problem, he's clearly giving the "I'm OK" sign with his right hand in the first picture.

[shqipshume]

Poor bear
Thats like the guy who did that in US a few years back

[NothingMan]

It was obvious they were just playing with each other. Then the police have to come and spoil all the fun. One guy there could even hear them singing together.... It's the Bear necessities..... dum dum dum dum de dum de dum....

[ibarelycare]

Originally Posted by Max Power1

Ridiculous. the bear was shot with tranquilisers just becase some human takes leave of sanity and jumps into the bears territory. I add a plus one to the people in the article saying there was public outcry of sympathy for the bear.

Did you not read that the man was mentally handicapped? We don't know to what extent he was. However if he was of sound enough mind to know what he was doing then he deserved what he got. Nearly made it to Darwinian of the year!

[Splinter]

both survived according to the story, glad the bear is ok too

[CreepingDeath]

...realised he had an uninvited human guest - said yesterday to be mentally handicapped

So yer man wasn't smarter than the average bear.

* bloody youngsters here probably won't get that reference

[gavredking]

Dont know what your man was thinking, sitting over the pen for 20mins, as mentioned in the report is long time to decide if your going go in or not, the zoo keepers should have used that time to tranquilize the man trying get in, at least it would saved the bear getting shot and your man could of thanked them, before acting the way he did, idiot.

[NothingMan]

Originally Posted by CreepingDeath

So yer man wasn't smarter than the average bear.

* bloody youngsters here probably won't get that reference

Maybe the bear stole his eh picinic a'basket, and he was trying to get it back.

[Run_to_da_hills]

And kids are led to believe bears are supposed to be cuddly creatures.

I think they should have a government warning on teddy bears stating that real bears can kill you.

[stovelid]

Nice to see somebody had the presence of mind to keep snapping as a man gets ripped apart by a wild animal.

On such people is civilization built.

[Mossy Monk]

Originally Posted by stovelid

Nice to see somebody had the presence of mind to keep snapping as a man gets ripped apart by a wild animal.

On such people is civilization built.

You expected them to do what? Jump in and save him?

[NothingMan]

Originally Posted by Mossy Monk

You expected them to do what? Jump in and save him?

If I had Homers bear fighting suit I would have, but without that it would be just foolish.