Woman bitten by bear at Wis. zoo, fingers severed

| 03/ 6/10 03:57 AM | AP

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Bear Bites Womans Hands

MANITOWOC, Wis. — Police say a bear bit off a woman's fingers at a Wisconsin zoo after she ignored barriers and warning signs to try to feed the animal.

The Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc closed after the incident Friday morning. Police say the 47-year-old woman lost a thumb and a forefinger, and two other fingers were partially severed.

The woman's boyfriend was bitten as he tried to pry the bear's mouth off her hand, but he didn't lose any fingers. Her 3-year-old granddaughter wasn't injured.

A mayor's office statement says alcohol played a factor.

It's unclear which of two Asiatic black bears bit the women when she put her hand through their enclosure's fence. Police tell the Herald Times Reporter the bears likely won't be euthanized.

Manitowoc is about 80 miles north of Milwaukee.

___

Information from: Herald Times Reporter, http://www.htrnews.com

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MANITOWOC, Wis. — Police say a bear bit off a woman's fingers at a Wisconsin zoo after she ignored barriers and warning signs to try to feed the animal. The Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc closed...
MANITOWOC, Wis. — Police say a bear bit off a woman's fingers at a Wisconsin zoo after she ignored barriers and warning signs to try to feed the animal. The Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc closed...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
AntigoneRisen   04:59 PM on 4/16/2010
Why on earth would the bear be euthanized for the woman's stupidity?
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AmerBestZoos   12:34 AM on 3/10/2010
This small zoo in Wisconsin is doing its best with the resources it has. This incident was caused 100% by the idiot actions of a drunken woman. It is her fault, not the bear's and not the zoo's.

For those of you who don't like zoos, here's a great idea: Don't go to them, but leave them alone. Many of us love them, and we happen to appreciate the good they do is preserving endangered animals. The next time you see a buffalo, thank the zoos. Without them, the American bison would be extinct already.

Allen Nyhuis, Coauthor: America's Best Zoos
oceanlady   05:52 PM on 3/09/2010
...and the winner of this year's Darwin Award goes to.....Fingerless Granny!!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cbvani   01:13 PM on 3/09/2010
Dont poke a bear. Ought to be common sense but still.
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D Cassandra D   10:50 AM on 3/09/2010
I have had the honor of seeing Brown Bears (tho different) in the wild -- These creatures shouldn't be held in captivity for the "benefit" of the hairless Apes. (Yes we are) I went to the San Francisco Zoo and I was SHOCKED at how the Hippos were kept - barley enough room to turn around properly. Just imagine being kept in your bathroom for years - wouldn't you bite the hand that "fed" you?
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planetjeffy   12:57 AM on 3/08/2010
Story should have read "Police tell the Herald Times Reporter the guzzlin' granny likely won't be euthanized."
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D Cassandra D   10:51 AM on 3/09/2010
lol and LOL
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Katerbee   12:47 AM on 3/08/2010
After the one bear snacked on Ms. Stupid, the second bear asked , "So what do you think? The first bear said "Surprisingly enough, she tastes like chicken".
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KriTiKiT   12:35 AM on 3/08/2010
good keep your fingers to your self GRANDMA
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
rf dude   12:19 AM on 3/08/2010
'
Lucky she wasn't visiting Seaworld...
darter22   12:14 AM on 3/08/2010
Euthanasia sounds like a good option here but not for the bears. Might deepen the human gene pool.
R-Star   11:31 PM on 3/07/2010
Are you kidding? LIKELY won't euthanize? Won't euthanize animals who are so STUPID as to stick their fingers into a caged bear's face? I am shocked.
the-lexicon   11:28 PM on 3/07/2010
Let's see....47 year old woman holding out food to a bear.

that, it seems to me, is like

A burrito handing me a taco.
valerief   11:20 PM on 3/07/2010
Alcohol played a role? Meaning the bears were drunk?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
alyseven   12:47 AM on 3/08/2010
I'm guessing they didn't give the bear a breathalizer, so they can't be sure. Damn drunk bears.
Dogvane   11:05 PM on 3/07/2010
Surprise!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
JohnSawyer   11:03 PM on 3/07/2010
When are bears going to figure out that they're supposed to behave when people stick their fingers in their faces? Sometimes, wild animals can be so rude.

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