Swiss man cuts off arm to escape bear attack in Chiang Mai

The wildlife volunteer had stretched his arm into the bear’s cage to feed it when it suddenly chomped into his arm. PHOTOS: ONE NEWS 31/FACEBOOK via The Straits Times/Asia News Network

A Swiss man cut off his arm with a pocket knife after a bear bit into it at a wildlife foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Mr Stefan Specogna, a wildlife volunteer, had stretched his right arm into a black bear’s cage to feed the animal when it suddenly chomped into his arm and refused to let go, reported Thai news outlets.

The 32-year-old man tried to free his arm but eventually resorted to cutting it off.

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Witnesses rushed to give him first aid before taking him from the wildlife foundation in Chiang Dao district in the north of the province to a nearby hospital. His arm was damaged from the elbow down, reported the Bangkok Post.

Mr Specogna was later transferred to a private hospital in Chiang Mai for surgery.

His severed arm was found in a shredded condition.

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The Sun, a British newspaper, quoted a local who praised Mr Specogna for having a kind heart as he would rather cut off his own arm than hurt the bear.

Custody of the Asiatic black bear was transferred to the wildlife foundation from Doi Pha Daeng National Park in Chiang Dao, according to Thai news outlets.