A BRAVE wildlife volunteer hacked his own arm off with a pocket knife after a bear clamped its jaws around it and refused to let go.
The man, named locally as Stefan Claudio Specogna, 32, had reached into the Asian black bear’s cage to place food on a tray when the horror unfolded.
Jam PressThe man, 32, was immediately treated at the scene before bystanders took him to a local hospital[/caption]
Jam PressThe Asian black bear had clamped its jaws around the man’s arm as he gave it a plate of food[/caption]
The victim, from Switzerland, tried to free himself with all his might but after the bear refused to let go, he courageously severed his bloodied limb with the pocket knife he was carrying.
Bystanders gave him first aid before taking him from the scene in Mueang Ngai, Thailand, to a hospital in nearby Chiang Dao.
He was later transferred to a private facility in Chiang Mai – the largest city in northern Thailand.
Local media report that he will have an operation, but it is not clear if surgeons will be able to reattach the crushed limb.
Following the horror ordeal, locals showered him with praise for not hurting the animal.
One named Chonticha said: “His heart is truly kind.
“He was willing to amputate his own arm, but he did not harm the animal.”
The bear in question was rescued in 2013 after getting lost outside the forest.
It was taken to a national park before being transferred to the wildlife sanctuary.
The Asian black bear is a vulnerable species due to shrinking forests, poaching, and other threats.
Although usually shy, it is more aggressive towards humans than the Eurasian brown bear or the American black bear.
In November, two gas-drilling workers miraculously walked away from a savage brown bear attack despite suffering serious injuries – including an exposed skull.
The two men suffered deep head and arm lacerations while wrestling with the wild beast in a horrific mauling that was captured on film.
It came just one month after a married couple were killed after being gruesomely attacked by a grizzly bear while taking their dog out for a walk at a national park.
Officials said the horrific scene took place at the Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, in the Red Deer River Valley, west of Ya Ha Tinda Ranch.
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