Monday, April 13, 2009

Woman Attacks Polar Bear at Berlin Zoo

Well, the headline said it was the polar bear that attacked.  But when a polar bear is minding its own business in the area designated for it and an insane woman jumps into its habitat during feeding time, I’m not sure the polar bear did anything wrong here. 

BERLIN, Germany (CNN)—A polar bear attacked a woman at Berlin Zoo Friday afternoon after she climbed a fence and jumped into its habitat during feeding time, police said Saturday.

One adult polar bit her several times after she plunged into the moat, police said.

Zoo workers tossed rescue rings toward the woman to hoist her out and distract polar bears swimming nearby, said Goerg Gebhard, a Berlin police officer.

At one point the woman fell back into the water and was grabbed by a bear before she was eventually hoisted to safety.

“They saved her life,” Gebhard told CNN.

The woman was severely injured and was being treated at a hospital, police said.

The woman was issued a citation for trespassing.  Word is, she’s also getting a Darwin Award, um, prehumously.

(3) Comments
Posted by Wendy at 1506 hrs
Culture

  1. I saw the video on this yesterday. What a dofus. What did she expect the bear to do?

    She’s lucky she didn’t get dismembered, disemboweled and any other dis’es you can think of.

    There was more than one bear in there! If they all attacked at once - it would have been game over.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on April 13, 2009 at 1616 hrs


  2. A similar incident happened a number of years ago at the Vilas Park Zoo in Madison. A mentally ill man climbed into the polar bear enclosure and was mauled by Chief, the zoo’s only resident polar bear at that time. Poor Chief was shot to death to save the life of the deranged trespasser.

    Posted by Ordinary Jill on April 13, 2009 at 2054 hrs


  3. I’ve seen one on TV…and it’s really awful! So unfortunate.

    Posted by Elaphotography on April 17, 2009 at 0118 hrs


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