80-Year-Old Man Headbutts A Bear, Gets Thrown Off A Cliff And Lives To Tell The Tale
An aging shepherd who was confronted by a bear while walking through a raspberry field near his home lived to tell his tale despite being thrown off a cliff by the animal after the two came to blows.
By Judith Yeoh — 03 Nov 2013, 09:15 AM — Updated over 10 years ago
Quite possibly the manliest of all men has been discovered in Russia and his name is Yusuf Alchagirov
Yusuf Alchagirov, an 80-year-old Russian shepherd, was minding his own business in a raspberry field when he was attacked by a large, hungry bear.
Rather than let the predator get the best of him, Alchagirov counter-attacked. Despite his age, the octogenarian managed to knock the bear off-balance with a flurry of kicks and headbutts.
time.com
Unfortunately, this beating failed to phase the furry attacker and the bear responded by knocking the shepherd off a nearby cliff.
He initially tried to stab the bear when the beast approached him in a raspberry field in Kabardino-Balkaria, but said the animal knocked his knife away, Ria Novosti reported.
The feisty Alchagirov was briefly hospitalized with bruises, bite wounds and four broken ribs
He was hospitalised with bruises, bite wounds and four broken ribs, but was spared a mauling, and released within a few days. It is not known whether the bear suffered any lasting injuries.
elitedaily.com
It is not known what species of bear the man tussled with, but brown bears are very common in the region. Photograph: Xavier Fores/Joana Roncero/Alamy
Image via guim.co.uk"I got off easy. It would have killed me if I'd chickened out," Alchagirov said.
theguardian.com
Alchagirov's family "baked him three traditional pies to celebrate his survival."
gawker.com
Alchagirov may have survived his encounter, but experts generally advise against fighting back during a bear attack
Bears attack humans only when they are either provoked or hungry, according to Russian experts. Over the autumn there have been a number of reports of hungry bears approaching villages in the far east of the country, after devastating floods destroyed much of their natural food sources.
gawker.com
If you are approached aggressively by a brown bear — a common species of bear in the region — Mother Nature Network suggests playing dead as the bear is ”likely trying to neutralize you as a threat.”
time.com