Woman explains how $3 hair accessory saved her life while her head was in grizzly bear’s mouth
Canadian woman Vanessa Chaput's hair clip partially saved her life during a grizzly bear attack last month.
The harrowing incident unfolded on the evening on Monday, June 30 on the paved Trans Canada Trail, according to Yukon Conversation Officer Services.
Vanessa, 24, was jogging at the time with her Alsatian, Luna. Upon turning a corner the pair encountered a trio of the apex predators, with a fourth lurking somewhere in the area too.
Her dog managed to successfully chase off two of the smaller grizzlies, leaving the mum-of-one at the mercy of a large male who would eventually pounce on Vanessa as she hid behind a tree.
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Vanessa's head ended up in its jaws, yet a hair accessory - available for $7.48 (£5.52) at Walmart - scared away this monstrous assailant.
Speaking to TODAY, the lucky survivor suggested she was simply 'in the wrong place at the wrong time'.
"The bear took me down, it took my head in its mouth and I ended up on the ground. You feel like a rag doll and there's nothing you can do. I remember being thrown around," she explained.
Vanessa weighed in on the next phase of the attack during an interview with Inside Edition, revealing how the bear 'crushed the clip and the spring part just kind of exploded in his mouth'.
Coupled with Luna's nearby barking, this resulted in the grizzly fleeing the scene. She then proceeded to head to the highway to ring 911.
As far as bodily damage goes, the victim's spine, thighs and arms were all injured, as well a nerve damage, leading to 10 days of hospitalisation for Vanessa (she received over 30 stitches).
"I am very shocked at how lucky I am," she told TODAY. "I'm extremely thankful that God was watching over me that day."
"I don't blame the bears for what happened and I don't blame my dog or myself. It was wrong time wrong place and it could happen to anybody," heard CTV News.
A statement from the YCOS posted to Facebook read: "A conservation officer responded immediately to the initial report and upon arriving onsite euthanized a bear that was present at the exact location of the attack.
"The officer received follow-up information that multiple bears were involved. In the interest of public safety, the nearby campground was evacuated and closed. Three additional bears matching the description were located in the area and two were euthanized.
"Efforts are still being made to recover the fourth bear. Officers are monitoring the area and using a variety of tools, including helicopters and drones, to continue their search of the remaining animal. Full necropsies are being conducted on the bears involved in this event. The group is a mixed composition of ages and sexes."
Back in 2011, Russian mother Tatiana Moskalyova was left with no choice but to listen to her daughter Olga being mauled to death by bears across three phone calls.
When Tatiana first answered the phone, she heard her daughter say: 'Mum, the bear is eating me! Mum, it’s such agony. Mum, help!'
She initially thought Olga was joking, but then the sounds of 'chewing' crept in.
"I heard the real horror and pain in Olga's voice, and the sounds of a bear growling and chewing. I could have died then and there from shock," she added.
Topics: Animals
Dan Seddon