A man was seriously injured while protecting his wife from a polar bear attack

A man was seriously injured Tuesday morning after being attacked by a bear in Canada, according to police.

“A man who jumped on a polar bear to protect his wife from being hurt has recovered from serious injuries to his arm and legs but is expected to recover,” said a statement posted on social media by Nishnawbe-Aski police.

The incident took place in Fort Severn First Nation. The small, far-northern Ontario community is close to Hudson Bay.

The couple were out at 5 am looking for their dogs when they encountered a bear on their way. The bear then lunged at the woman, according to the statement.

“The woman slipped and fell when her husband jumped on the animal to avoid being attacked. The bear then attacked the male, seriously injuring him but not endangering his life in the arm and legs,” said the police.

During the attack, a neighbor with a gun came to the scene to rescue the couple, and shot the bear several times.

Wounded and staggering, the bear headed for a nearby wooded area. Police later confirmed that the bear died from its injuries.

The police said that the police continued to patrol the area to ensure that there were no more bears in the area.

Alysa McCall, director of conservation and staff scientist at Polar Bear International, told CBS News affiliate CBC that polar bears rarely attack humans. When an attack occurs, the bear is often hungry, small and unhealthy.

“A healthy polar bear on the sea ice would not have much incentive to attack a person,” McCall told CBC News.

McCall told the CBC that climate change it leads to changes in sea temperature, which in turn affects how far the bears can go inland throughout the year.

“If you’re attacked by a polar bear, don’t play dead – that’s a myth,” he told the CBC. “Fight as long as you can.”