Canada woman Vanessa Chaput, 24 years old.
She lives in Yukon with her husband, 2-year-old daughter.
（加拿大女子Vanessa Chaput）
On June 30 this year, Vanessa took her German shepherd dog Luna for a jog along a local forest trail.
When a man and a dog ran about half the distance, they unexpectedly encountered 3 grizzly bears.
Vanessa recalls: "I was next to three bears, less than 5 meters away, it was so close. ”
(Vanessa and dog)
Faced with this critical situation, Vanessa tried to calm herself down.
"I grew up in bear-infested places and know what to do when I encounter them.
My family and I have encountered bears in the past, but never encountered 3 at once. ”
Vanessa tries to back away, hoping to escape the scene without attracting the grizzly bear's attention.
However, at this time, the dog may have been anxious for the owner, suddenly broke free from the leash, rushed forward and began to chase away the two bears.
Another male bear was stimulated and began to attack Vanessa.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Vanessa began to run wildly, trying to run behind a tree, but before she could go far, the bear pounced on her.
(Bear prevention posters are posted locally)
The male bear grabbed her back with his claws and bit her forearm so hard that she broke her arm.
"All I remember is that the bear bit my arm and felt its claws grab my back."
"I didn't scream when the bear attacked me."
Vanessa tried to play dead and lay quietly, while the male continued to scratch her back with his paws.
"When a bear bites me on the head, my first thought is to protect myself, so I curl up in a fetal position."
(Vanessa is bitten by a bear)
At the time of the incident, Vanessa happened to be wearing a plastic hairpin on her head.
After the bear bit the hairpin, the broken hairpin stabbed the bear's mouth, which caused the bear to temporarily stop attacking.
In addition, the dog Luna barked not far away, which attracted the attention of the male bear.
The bear turned and ran towards the place where the dog barked.
(Vanessa uses this hair clip)
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Vanessa, covered in blood, walked towards the highway.
"I looked at my body and saw blood from my arms and face. One of my eyes was already red with blood. ”
"I knew I was bleeding a lot and needed treatment, so I didn't run."
It took Vanessa about a minute to walk from where she was at the time to the highway, call her husband and call the police.
"At this time, the dog also spotted me and ran to my side."
(Near the scene of the incident)
Vanessa was rushed to hospital with upper arm and head injuries and more than 30 stitches, followed by treatment for a broken arm, back stab wounds and claw marks.
After more than ten days in the hospital, Vanessa was finally able to go home.
After a brush with death, she feels how lucky she was to survive.
"I'm so grateful that I don't blame the bear and my dog for something like this.
The Yukon is full of bears, and you can't avoid them. Bears can be very aggressive during mating season. ”
"If it weren't for my dog barking and distracting the bear, the bear would have come to attack me again."
(Vanessa is bitten by a bear)
Vanessa said she hopes others will learn from her experience.
"I know a lot about bears and their behavior, and I think that's a big reason why I've survived."
"Don't run, walk away slowly, never scream, as this can trigger an attack, and don't make eye contact."
(Vanessa is bitten by a bear)
Travelers at a nearby campsite have been evacuated since the incident, and staff have euthanized the injured bear.
The Yukon Territory, located in northwestern Canada, is a sparsely populated region.
According to statistics, there are 6,000 to 7,000 grizzly bears in the Yukon, with a population of only about 45,000 people.
Wildlife expert Kim Titcher advises that people should travel in a group and carry bear spray with them.
"If you encounter a bear at close range, you can quickly pull out the bear spray. This is an effective tool to protect humans from bear-like attacks. ”
(Canada woman Vanessa)
In an emergency, the hairpin on her head saved her life, what a blessing!