APOPKA, Fla. – An Apopka man suffered an attack earlier this month after he yelled at a couple of young bears to stay away from his home, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
In a release, FWC officials said that the incident happened on Aug. 15 between 4 - 4:30 a.m.
At the time, the man — identified by News 6 as Alexander Rojas — spotted the two young bears running across his front yard, prompting him to step out of his front door and yell at them to “haze” them away, FWC officials added.
However, the release states that one of the bears ran back toward Rojas, biting and scratching him before he was able to escape back into the house.
“The man was later treated and released at a local hospital,” the release continues.
According to FWC investigators, the incident was later reported on Thursday, and a trap was set up at the property to try to capture the bear involved.
Following the attack, a GoFundMe was set up for the Rojas to help with his medical costs. The synopsis reads as follows:
“Hello, my name is Yhelisa. On August 15, my brother was attacked by a black bear on his way to work. We are trying to fund money to pay medical bills. We appreciate any help given.
Below is his story from his point of view:
On August 15th at approximately 4:00 AM, I was confronted by two juvenile black bears outside my residence. One of the bears bit my forearm, but I was able to break free and then moved toward the second bear in the front yard to deter it.
At the beginning of the video, I can be heard yelling—this was an attempt to scare the bears away as one was already charging toward me.
I was not attempting to engage with the second bear. In that moment, I had three immediate options: attempt to open the door while a bear was still within five feet, run left where another bear of similar size was approximately 30 feet away, or run right toward the woods where the mother bear could potentially be. I had to make a rapid decision under pressure. Ultimately, I evaded both bears by hurdling over a vehicle and moving into an open space further down the street. I want to emphasize that I did not harm or kill any of the bears.
No bears were harmed during the encounter. My intent in sharing this information is solely to raise community awareness.
As a result of the incident, I sustained injuries requiring stitches and may have possible nerve or tendon damage in my forearm from the bite."
Yhelisa Rojas, "Aid Alex Rojas' Healing Process From Bear Attack" on GoFundMe
In the meantime, the FWC reminds residents that if they feel threatened by a bear, they should call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922.