Woman bitten by bear at Wis. zoo, fingers severed

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.

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

Comments

[AntigoneRisen]

04:59 PM on 04/16/2010

Why on earth would the bear be euthanized for the woman's stupidity?

[AmerBestZoos]

12:34 AM on 03/10/2010

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 03/09/2010

...and the winner of this year's Darwin Award goes to.....Fingerless Granny!!

[cbvani]

01:13 PM on 03/09/2010

Dont poke a bear. Ought to be common sense but still.

[D Cassandra D]

10:50 AM on 03/09/2010

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?

[planetjeffy]

12:57 AM on 03/08/2010

Story should have read "Police tell the Herald Times Reporter the guzzlin' granny likely won't be euthanized."

[D Cassandra D]

10:51 AM on 03/09/2010

lol and LOL

[Katerbee]

12:47 AM on 03/08/2010

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".

[KriTiKiT]

12:35 AM on 03/08/2010

good keep your fingers to your self GRANDMA

[rf dude]

12:19 AM on 03/08/2010

'
Lucky she wasn't visiting Seaworld...

[darter22]

12:14 AM on 03/08/2010

Euthanasia sounds like a good option here but not for the bears. Might deepen the human gene pool.

[R-Star]

11:31 PM on 03/07/2010

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 03/07/2010

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 03/07/2010

Alcohol played a role? Meaning the bears were drunk?

[alyseven]

12:47 AM on 03/08/2010

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 03/07/2010

Surprise!

[JohnSawyer]

11:03 PM on 03/07/2010

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.