CHENGDU, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- As Mu Guangcai, a 58-year-old carpenter from Zixin Village in Mianyang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, recounts his harrowing battle with a black bear, his heart still races with fear.
Standing at just 157 cm tall and weighing over 50 kg, Mu, smaller and lighter than the bear, somehow managed to overpower it and rescue his wife from the jaws of death.
The terrifying incident unfolded on Nov. 20, when a black bear burst into their yard, knocking his wife to the ground. "I grabbed a hammer, aiming for the bear's head, but I was afraid of accidentally hitting my wife. So instead, I struck its back," he recalled, adding that the impact felt like hitting a pile of cotton.
The bear released his wife but then threw him to the ground. Their dog upon hearing the noise started barking incessantly, which distracted the bear and helped shift its focus. "I seized the opportunity to grab an axe and strike at the bear," Mu said, adding that, as a carpenter, tools are always within reach in his home.
Furious, the bear lunged at him once more, pinning Mu into a corner. Unable to move, his mind focused solely on fighting with everything he had. "In that moment, I grabbed a carpenter's adze and struck the bear again. Finally, it collapsed," he said.
The black bear was killed and its lifeless body was sent to a local university. With approval from the relevant authorities, it will be used for scientific research and educational purposes.
Mu said he had sustained bruises on his back and a dislocated arm, while his wife suffered multiple injuries to her head, face, chest and back. Neither of them is in a life-threatening condition and they are both receiving further treatment at the hospital, with the treatment costs covered by the government's wildlife damage rescue liability insurance.
The black bear is a national second-class protected species in China. However, under Chinese law, in emergency situations where wild animals pose a threat to personal safety, individuals who take measures such as hunting or killing the animal may not be held legally responsible. ■
