12-Year-Old Fights Off Black Bear Attack in Washington Backyard

A 12-year-old boy in Bellingham, Washington, fought off an aggressive black bear that charged him twice in his backyard fruit orchard last Sunday night, escaping with puncture wounds after gouging the animal's eye during the struggle.

Boy Describes a "Fight or Die" Encounter With a Protective Mother Bear

Robin Westgate said he came face to face with the bear while retrieving a bowl from his family's backyard orchard, and the two startled each other before the bear, protective of a nearby cub, charged him twice. The bear bit his wrist and left puncture wounds on his hip during the encounter.

"It was fight or die," Westgate said. "I didn't really have an option. She bit onto my wrist, and I slammed my hand and thumb into her eye."

Black bears are common in Westgate's neighborhood near the Canadian border, so he had already been taught what to do if he encountered one. When the bear charged again, this time toward his father, Noah Westgate stepped in and fought the animal off with a punch he described as the hardest of his life, driving the bear away.

The boy's sister, Riverley, said she heard her brother's cries for help from outside and was relieved the injuries weren't worse. The family says they plan to carry bear spray in their backyard going forward.

Bear Attacks Remain Rare in Washington, but Encounters Are Rising

Wildlife officials say bear attacks in Washington state occur less than once a year on average. Still, urban sprawl has led to more frequent encounters between bears and humans, particularly this time of year as bears fatten up ahead of winter hibernation.

The mother bear involved in the attack has since returned to the area, and state wildlife workers photographed the animal. A trap has been set, but the bear remains at large as of the latest update.

What's Next

Wildlife officials continue efforts to trap the bear following the attack. Westgate said the experience hasn't changed how he thinks about the overall danger bears pose, but it did leave him with a new sense of confidence in himself.

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