Published: December 23,2014
A 15-year-old girl is recovering in a Panama City, Florida, hospital after being attacked by a bear Sunday.
The girl's mother, Sherry Mann, told WMBB that her daughter, Leah Reeder, sustained significant injuries to her legs, back, neck and face.
Mann says the attack happened when Leah was walking her dog behind a supermarket in Eastpoint, east of Panama City in Franklin County. She said the bear released Leah after the dog lunged at it and the girl played dead.
Leah's grandfather Howard Reeder told WJHG: "Her little dog saved her life. For whatever reason, that little dog was able to scare that bear off. Either the little dog bit him or scared him, spooked him off."
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Leah's family says she's doing better and resting after surgery, and they expect only minor scarring on her face from the attack. There's no word on when Leah will be released from the hospital.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has set up traps to catch the bear, but it has not been successful, FWC spokesman Stan Kirkland said.
FWC biologists estimate that there are 2,500 to 3,000 black bears in Florida. These bears are not true hibernators. They den for shorter periods and sleep less deeply than bears in colder climates, according to the FWC, and some male bears in Florida do not den at all.
Urban sprawl in Florida has encroached on remote areas, bringing people into bear habitat. As a result, bears and people are encountering each other more than ever.
It was the third bear attack in the region this year.
MORE: Polar Bear Portraits
The girl's mother, Sherry Mann, told WMBB that her daughter, Leah Reeder, sustained significant injuries to her legs, back, neck and face.
Mann says the attack happened when Leah was walking her dog behind a supermarket in Eastpoint, east of Panama City in Franklin County. She said the bear released Leah after the dog lunged at it and the girl played dead.
Leah's grandfather Howard Reeder told WJHG: "Her little dog saved her life. For whatever reason, that little dog was able to scare that bear off. Either the little dog bit him or scared him, spooked him off."
(MORE: Giant Tortise Rescues Friend)
Leah's family says she's doing better and resting after surgery, and they expect only minor scarring on her face from the attack. There's no word on when Leah will be released from the hospital.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has set up traps to catch the bear, but it has not been successful, FWC spokesman Stan Kirkland said.
FWC biologists estimate that there are 2,500 to 3,000 black bears in Florida. These bears are not true hibernators. They den for shorter periods and sleep less deeply than bears in colder climates, according to the FWC, and some male bears in Florida do not den at all.
Urban sprawl in Florida has encroached on remote areas, bringing people into bear habitat. As a result, bears and people are encountering each other more than ever.
It was the third bear attack in the region this year.
MORE: Polar Bear Portraits
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