A teenage boy is recovering from a black bear attack that occurred Tuesday afternoon on Mt. Si east of Seattle, Wash.
According to King 5, the boy was with a group of basketball players from Thomas Jefferson High School when they encountered a black bear sow with at least one cub.
Black bear momma with cubs.
Momma bear clawed the boy’s face and legs in the brief attack, while others fled. Another boy injured his ankle while running.
King County Sheriff’s Deputy Peter Linde is quoted: “His injuries were very minor, but he was of course terrified. The bear tossed him around a little bit, but nothing serious. He’s on his way to the hospital right now to be checked out, get the wounds clean, and maybe get some antibiotics.”
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King 5 reported that the boy was released from the hospital Tuesday night.
Trails on the mountain were closed Wednesday as authorities searched for the bear, but the search was subsequently called off.
While black bear attacks in the area are extremely rare, sows are protective of cubs. It’s likely that the hikers surprised the bear at close range.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Teen hiker attacked by black bear on Mt. Si in Washington