Brown bear attacks mushroom picker: 66-year-old is seriously injured

Trenčín (Slovakia) - Mushrooms are booming and mushroom pickers are roaming the forests in droves. For a mushroom hunter from Slovakia, his trip ended in hospital on Saturday morning!

Encountering a brown bear in Slovakia is not out of the question. More than a thousand animals live in the wild in the forests. (symbolic image)
Encountering a brown bear in Slovakia is not out of the question. More than a thousand animals live in the wild in the forests. (symbolic image)  © Jaroslav Slastan/Staatlicher Naturschutz der Slowakei/dpa

As reported by ta3, the man was attacked by a brown bear in a dense forest in the municipality of Kanianka (greater Trenčín area).

"In addition to the bear, there were also two bear cubs at the scene," the state nature conservation service also reported.

The mushroom picker who was attacked was able to call for help himself.

Rescue services and the fire department attended to the 66-year-old, treated his wounds and then took him to hospital.

A helicopter was even sent to fly the injured mushroom picker to hospital in an emergency.
ContentImage.Description   © Screenshot/Facebook/Air - Transport Europe, letecká záchranná služba

Around 1200 bears live in the wild in Slovakia

The Slovakian is said to be in a stable condition, but has suffered bite wounds to his left shoulder and lower left leg.

The local police called on citizens on Facebook to exercise caution when walking in the forest.

According to an official count, there are just over a thousand bears living in the wild in Slovakia.