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Pair of fists next to a black bear
Humans are among the many species that are at a severe disadvantage if they attract the ire of an angry bear. A full-grown adult is no match for one of those massive mammals, but a 12-year-old in Washington state was able to escape a scrape with minor injuries armed with nothing but his hands.
Bears are classified as apex predators in virtually every region where they can be found in the wild. They may occasionally encounter a worthy adversary in the form of a moose or a particularly bold pack of wolves, but there aren’t many animals that can hold their own against one of those massive mammals.
Humans are also at a major disadvantage, and while people may be able to level the playing field with a gun or a can of bear spray, you’re going to be facing an uphill battle if you don’t have any tools at your disposal in a situation where you have to fight one off.
That’s the scenario a middle schooler in Washington state recently found himself facing, and he more than managed to hold his own while living to share a tale he’ll probably be telling for the rest of his life.
A 12-year-old fought off a bear (with some help from his dad) after it went after him in his backyard in Washington
Washington is home to an estimated 22,000 black bears that can be found throughout the state (there’s also a relatively tiny brown bear population believed to be less than 100 in its northeastern region).
Their habitat includes the city of Bellingham, which is located around 20 miles south of the Canadian border. According to KING, a 12-year-old resident named Robin Westgate was raised to know what to do if he ever encountered one, and that education was put to the test on the evening of September 20th.
Westgate told the outlet he was retrieving a bowl from the orchard in his family’s backyard that Sunday evening when he crossed paths with a female bear and her cub, and he said he jumped into “fight or die” mode after it repeatedly charged at him.
The bear clawed him on his side and bit down on his hand before he fought back, saying, “I slammed my hand and thumb into her eye.”
His father, Noah, heard the commotion and ran outside before drawing the attention of the bear, which subsequently charged at him. He was able to finish the job his son started by delivering what he described as “the hardest punch of my life,” which was enough to make it flee.
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife dispatched workers to the area in the wake of the incident, and they were able to photograph the bear and set up a trap in the hopes of catching it. However, it’s unclear what fate awaits it if they’re successful.