ARCHIVED - Woman in hospital after bear attack in Asturias
The 75-year-old was mauled while walking with her family near her home in Cangas del Narcea
A 75-year-old woman was taken to hospital on Sunday after being attacked by a bear in the mountains of the northern Spanish region of Asturias, and is reported to be responding well to treatment. Her life is not believed to be in danger.
The incident occurred in the evening when the victim was walking in the countryside with relatives close to her home in the hamlet of Sonande, in the municipality of Cangas del Narcea. It appears that she lagged behind the rest of the group and it was at this point that the bear attacked, breaking her hip and injuring her face before dragging her along the ground for several metres and then fleeing the scene.
Fortunately her companions managed to shoo the animal away and she was taken to hospital in Oviedo, but as a result of the attack a full-scale search has been launched on Monday morning to find and capture the bear responsible.
There are small but significant wild bear populations in the mountains of northern Spain, the largest of them being in the Picos de Europa in the region of Asturias and the province of León, with a headcount of between 250 and 300. In addition, a further 40 or more live slightly further east between Cantabria, León and Palencia, and there is another population of similar size in the north of Aragón and Catalunya, while the 4-strong contingent on the border between Navarra and France by far the smallest.
Attacks on people are very rare occurrences but there has been considerable discontent among farmers on both sides of the Pyrenees over numerous attacks on cattle and other farm animals, and a year ago a summit was held between French and Spanish authorities to address the matter. In Catalunya a reintroduction program has resulted in the bear population rising from 3 in 1996 to 43 by late 2019, but the success of the program evidently brings with it a certain amount of risk and controversy.
Image: Town Hall of Somiedo