Brown Bear Attack Stopped By Pepper Spray

Two cyclists were attacked by a grizzly bear near Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday. But both survived after one deployed bear spray to stop the attack.

The bear charged Alex Ippoliti and James Fredrick, who were riding bikes near the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson military base, located just a couple miles outside Anchorage.

The men first heard rustling in the woods as they pedaled along a wide gravel road on the base. The bear charged “out of nowhere,” lifting Fredrick off his bike.

“When she dropped him, she turned toward me, and I was able to spray the bear,” Ippoliti told ABC News.

Bear Spray Deters Grizzly

Bear spray is a popular method of deterring attacks. The powerful pepper spray typically contains 1- to 2-percent capsaicin and related capsaicinoids — the hot stuff in spicy peppers.

In this instance, spraying the bear stopped the attack. And while no method of bear deterrence is 100-percent effective (no, not even powerful firearms), bear spray often works.

Ippoliti reported that after spraying the bear, it hung around nearby. That’s when he noticed a cub in a tree.

Ippoliti worked to stop Fredricks’ bleeding, then the two men slowly backed away from the area.

Bear Spray 101: Tips, Best Practices in the Field

Bear spray can save your life. Know how to buy it and, more importantly, how to use it. Read more…

Recent Bear Attacks

The attack comes on the heels of several maulings near Anchorage. A 16-year-old boy was killed by a black bear on June 18 while running a trail race near Bird Creek, about 30 miles south of Anchorage.

One day later, a biological technician and newlywed named Erin Johnson was killed by a predatory black bear southeast of Fairbanks.

Man Attacked By Grizzly, Films Aftermath

A man attacked by a grizzly bear with two cubs on Saturday hopped on camera while still bleeding from gaping wounds. Read more…

Also on Saturday, a second brown bear attack occurred near the tiny town of Hope, about 100 miles south of Anchorage. Joshua Brekken, 45, was walking to collect firewood when he encountered a bear. Alaska State Troopers said he tried to climb a nearby tree, but the bear swatted him out before running into the woods with its cub.

While unsettling, bear attacks are generally uncommon.

“Well, it’s good to be careful in bear country,” wildlife biologist Rick Sinnott told CBS News. “There’s only been six predatory black bear attacks in Alaska that I know of I think in history. So all of a sudden to have two in the course of two days, it’s a lightning strike.”

Essential Survival: How To Avoid Bears

Bear encounters are no joke, you're better off avoiding the animals altogether - here's how. Read more…

Though rare, bear attacks are serious. Be prepared when in bear country. Make noise, stay observant, and carry bear spray.