A bear that attacked a man in Pennsylvania this week was confirmed to have rabies, officials said Thursday.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission said on Facebook that the bear "aggressively approached" a man in the town of Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, in the scenic Pocono Mountains on Sunday and began to bite and scratch him. The commission noted this is abnormal behavior for bears. (HT Remark: This is 60 miles from my PA home.)
The man, Andrew Neirer, survived the attack and is expected to make a full recovery. Surveillance footage from a nearby homeowner shows the moment of the attack.
The bear was shot and killed by a nearby homeowner and the carcass taken away for testing.
"Today, January 23, 2025, the results of the tests showed the bear was positive for rabies. The person involved is expected to have a full recovery and has received appropriate medical treatment," the commission said in its statement.
"While rabies in bears is rare and a case emerging in a given area usually is isolated, rabies poses a risk to all mammals. In this particular case, male bears typically den alone therefore reducing the risk of other bear being exposed to rabies," the statement continued.
Neirer was attacked while walking on a stone trail near his home and said he spotted the bear in the middle of the trail. He tried to walk away but the bear followed.
