Man survives brutal attack by brown bear

Ma Xiaolong, a man in Xinjiang has made a narrow escape from a brown bear after fighting it off for several minutes. (Photo source: iyaxin.com)

(ECNS) -- A man in Xinjiang has made a narrow escape from a brown bear after fighting it off for several minutes, people.cn said on Wednesday.

Ma Xiaolong, 42, the owner of a shop selling jade products in Shawan County, encountered the bear while he was seeking raw jade on a local mountain.

"It suddenly pounced on me before I knew what was happening," Ma recalled, saying the bear stood at nearly two meters on its hind legs.

"The bear tried to knock me down but failed, as I steadied myself by leaning against a broken stone wall."

The bear also bit Ma on his stomach. "Its teeth pierced through layers of my clothing and it hurt quite badly," he said.

To thwart the attack, Ma firmly held the bear's head and tried to thrust it aside. He also grabbed a piece of stone and hit the bear's head with it.

"It seemed that my attacks caused it no pain, and it wasn't bleeding," said Ma.

Although exhausted by the battle, Ma still struggled to repel the bear's attacks for over 15 times. During the fight, Ma's nose and upper lip were scratched and the bear bit him in several places, including his chest and left leg.

Ma said he felt like he was on the verge of death when the bear suddenly stopped the attack and wandered off.

Since there is no cell phone signal on the mountain, Ma had to seek help from a friend who lives at the foot of the mountain.

After walking for three hours, Ma reached his friend's house, and received simple treatment for his puncture wounds.

"I have never heard of anyone who was attacked by a bear in Shawan county," said Ma's friend, who has been living in the region for 60 years.

Though Ma was in desperate need of professional medical treatment, he was sent to a hospital four days after the accident, since roads were closed after a severe snow storm.

At the present, Ma is recovering at an affiliated hospital under the Medical College of Shihezi University.

Chen Qixin, an official a the local forestry center, told people.cn that the area where Ma encountered the bear is a dangerous zone in which brown bears usually hang out.

"Though warning signs are marked out at the region, some people, including local herdsmen, business people like Ma, and tourists neglect the notices and enter the zone," Chen added.