Bear That Attacked Man in Pennsylvania Had Rabies, Officials Confirm

A bear that attacked a man in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, was confirmed to have rabies, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced. The bear exhibited abnormal behavior by aggressively approaching and attacking Andrew Neirer, biting and scratching him while he walked near his home. Neirer survived and is expected to fully recover after receiving appropriate medical treatment. The bear was shot by a nearby homeowner, and tests later confirmed it was rabid.

Rabies in bears is rare and typically isolated, with minimal risk of spreading to other bears, as male bears usually den alone. Neirer expressed sympathy for the bear, attributing the unusual behavior to erratic weather affecting hibernation patterns. Black bear attacks are uncommon, but Pennsylvania’s bear population has surged from 4,000 in the 1970s to around 18,000 today, leading to increasead human-bear interactions. The public is advised to report animals displaying abnormal behavior to the Game Commission.