ANCHORAGE, Ala., Sept. 15 (UPI) — A 62-year-old man was in serious condition after he was mauled by a bear in Anchorage, Alaska, on Sunday.
Danny High, and a neighbor’s dog, Leila, were attacked near Funny River.
High was in serious condition Monday in an intensive care unit at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. Susan Gregg, a Harborview spokeswoman, told KTUU she knew some of High’s injuries would require surgery but could not confirm whether he had gone in for surgery Monday morning.
High was attacked near mile 10.5 of Funny River Road. He had a routine of walking Diane Deming’s dog every day on the same path, a path which is locally dubbed “bear trail.”
Alaska State Troopers said High was attacked around 4:50 p.m. Sunday. He was able to contact 911 to report the attack despite his injuries.
Leila, unscathed in the attack, returned to Deming’s home, scratching at the back and front doors of her home.
A LifeMed helicopter and other first responder vehicles and personnel were dispatched to the area and transported High to the hospital.
The Department of Fish and Game was investigating the incident. Spokeswoman Cathie Harms said the agency does not know what kind of bear it is, though Alaska State Troopers identified it as a brown bear.
The troopers were not able to locate the bear responsible. They said High was not armed with a gun or bear spray when he was attacked.
