Woman killed by black bear in 'extremely rare' attack
The body of the bear is being sent for testing to help determine if there were any physical reasons for its abnormal behaviour.
Thursday 5 September 2019 07:28, UK
A black bear has killed a Minnesota woman on a secluded island in Canadian waters in an attack that experts have called extremely rare.
Catherine Sweatt-Mueller was staying with her parents in a remote cabin on Red Pine Island in Rainy Lake when she was killed.
A police spokesman said Ms Sweatt-Mueller went outside on Sunday evening when she heard her two dogs barking, but that she never returned.
After both dogs, one of them injured, returned to the cabin, the 62-year-old's parents called for help.
Officers found a bear standing over Ms Sweatt-Mueller's body and shot the animal.
The bear is being sent for testing at the University of Guelph to help determine if there were any physical reasons for its abnormal behaviour.
A spokesman for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, said: "Attacks of this nature are extremely rare and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim.
The last fatal bear attack in Ontario was in 2005.
Dave Garshelis, a research scientist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said black bears tend to be timid around people.
"They're very unaggressive bears. If you ever approach a black bear closely, typically they'll see you and run off."