Woman Killed by Bear in Polish Forest, Son and Local Government Confirm

A 58-year-old woman was fatally attacked by a bear in a secluded mountain region of Poland, as confirmed by her son and the local authorities. The event occurred when the woman and her 27-year-old son were hiking independently near Płonna, a town in the Bieszczady area. According to TVN24, a firefighter at the scene recounted that the son was speaking on the phone when he suddenly heard his mother shout, “Bear, bear!” and the connection was lost.

The son immediately alerted emergency services, but by the time responders arrived, the woman had already succumbed to her injuries. The firefighter noted that the victim suffered severe head trauma. Bukowsko Commune issued a warning on social media, advising nearby residents to avoid forested zones following the tragic incident.

“She must have stepped on it. When a bear lies down, it’s like a mound of dark earth. Once it hits, there’s no escape,” said the woman’s second son, describing the moment of impact.

Poland is home to approximately 100 brown bears, primarily inhabiting the Bieszczady region. While human-bear conflicts are uncommon, the last recorded fatality happened in 2014, according to local media. The victim and her son were in the woods gathering antlers during the stag shedding season, a time when bears emerge from hibernation.

Emergency services received the call at 10:30 local time (08:30 GMT), as stated by Paweł Giba, a spokesperson for the local fire department. Despite dispatching crews, the remote location’s rugged terrain and poor phone reception delayed the response. Sgt Anna Oleniacz, a local police officer, shared that the son had momentarily stepped away before returning to find his mother injured.

On Thursday afternoon, a prosecutor and a medical professional examined the scene. Izabela Jurkowska-Hanus, the district prosecutor in Sanok, confirmed that the sole cause of death was the bear attack. Wojciech Jankowski, a representative of the Lesko Forest District, explained that bears often venture closer to human settlements in search of food during this season, making the encounter particularly unexpected.