Man mauled in Bern bear park leaves hospital

A man who climbed into Bern’s new bear park and was mauled by one of the bears last month has left hospital.

The mentally handicapped 25-year-old victim had undergone several operations and still needs rest and care, the commune of Köniz, where he lives, announced on Tuesday.

The man had climbed into the enclosure on November 21 to rescue a plastic bag. The park’s 250 kg male bear, Finn, attacked the intruder, who was only rescued when the police shot and seriously injured the animal.

Although the bullet shattered in the bruin’s chest, the authorities at the bear park said last week that Finn was well on the mend. His plight aroused waves of public sympathy.

The SFr24 million ($23 million) Bern Bear Park opened in October and houses Finn and companion Björk. It stretches from the traditional bear pit down to the River Aare, giving the animals much more space and a more natural environment in which to roam.

swissinfo.ch and agencies