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Video and 911 call recording emerge after man is attacked by bear in backyard: 'I kicked him in the face'

Animals and humans are crossing paths more often than they used to.

Animals and humans are crossing paths more often than they used to.

Photo Credit: iStock

Many people fear being attacked by wild animals. And while that particular scenario is still extremely rare, it might be becoming more common

What's happening?

As ABC7 reported, a Florida man learned that the hard way when he was attacked by a wild bear in his backyard.

The publication released video footage of two bears wandering around the property alongside the 911 call the man made after the incident.

After hearing his dog yelp outside, the man went to investigate. He then found himself face-to-face with a large bear. The bear bit him on the leg before the man managed to escape back inside his house and call for help.

"I kicked him in the face, and I ran as fast as I could in the house," he said in harrowing detail. 

Why is this important?

One common denominator in these attacks is that animals and humans are crossing paths more often than they used to. For instance, in the community of Gulf Breeze, where this attack occurred, many neighbors have cited overdevelopment as a main factor.

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As population increases and neighborhoods expand, human habitats and animal habitats are becoming much closer.

And of course, the changing climate continues to play a huge part in all of this. The warming climate has a trickle-down effect. When animal habitats are destroyed, wild animals are forced to seek new places to live. And as resources are depleted, animals are traveling farther distances looking for food. This can lead them right into the path of humans.

Unfortunately, this is only one of many reported incidents involving humans and bears. A mother and son in a tiny whaling village in Alaska were killed a few years ago by a wild bear. And it's not just bears that are venturing into human territory. An alligator took a dip in a Jensen Beach, Florida, swimming pool, startling the owners. 

What's being done to stop wild animal attacks? 

There are many things that can be done to prevent such attacks. First and foremost is to be smart. There are many stories of humans getting too close to wild animals on purpose and even trying to feed them. This is asking for trouble.

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Some local governments are fighting back by increasing funding to keep wild animals and humans separate. For instance, Montana has invested over $2 million in preventative measures.

Understanding how the changing climate is destroying long-established ecosystems and how that is affecting both humans and wild animals is also a step toward solving the problem.

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