Woman attacked by bear while sitting on toilet in Alaska

Experts believe the animal was a black bear
AP
John Dunne @jhdunne20 February 2021

A woman in Alaska who was attacked by a bear while using the toilet has said she will in future adopt a “look before you sit” policy.

Shannon Stevens suffered a minor wound while using a remote outhouse toilet at Chilkat Lake.

Ms Stevens says the wound was caused by either a bite or a swipe from the animal’s claw after it stuck its head into the lavatory.

She was spending the weekend in a yurt with her brother Erik and his girlfriend when the incident occurred last weekend. Earlier in the evening they had cooked sausages on an open which, it is believed could have attracted the creature.

She told the Associated Press news agency: “I got out there and sat down on the toilet and immediately something bit my butt as I sat down.”

Ms Stevens said she screamed for her brother who came out with a head torch to help her.

He said: “Right there at the level of the toilet seat was a cinnamon coloured bear face.”

They ran from the outhouse and into the yurt cowering inside until it became light in the morning.

She managed to treat her wound, a small puncture, using a first aid kit.

The following morning they spotted bear prints by the firepit and the outhouse. They left the area on snow mobiles they had used for the trip.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Carl Koch told KTOO News that he thinks the animal was a black bear.

He added: “[She] might be the only person this has ever happened to. I wouldn’t be surprised over the years if other folks have had bizarre things - but during February to sit down in an outhouse and have something like that happen is very unusual.”

Ms Stevens told the Anchorage Daily News that she will practice a “look before you sit” policy in the future.

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