61-year-old man from Gumkamu in Punakha was severely mauled by a bear on November 22 barely a week after a village girl in Mongar was mauled. The man, Wangdi, was on his way to the forest to collect firewood with a friend when a bear suddenly appeared and attacked him.

According to Wangdi, who is now recuperating at the national referral hospital in Thimphu, his friend fled the scene while he wrestled the bear. "It freed me after I stabbed him thrice in the stomach with my Bachem (short sword)," he said.

"As the bear bit my left hand I managed to free my right hand and reached for my Bachem. After I stabbed thrice the bear rolled over and left."

His friend returned after a while and carried him back to the village. Wangdi was admitted to the Punakha hospital.

According to the surgeon general in Thimphu, Dr. Thant Naing, Wangdi had suffered fractured bones on his face and ear when he was brought to the hospital. "He had also lost three of his fingers."

Bear attacks, especially at this time of the year, is common in almost all regions of the country.

According to nature conservation specialists, the most common bear found in Bhutan is the Himalayan black bear. It is found in almost all over the country. "While the Sloth bear and Brown bear are also found in Bhutan, it is always the Himalayan Black bear that humans encounter," said conservation specialist, Dr. Sangay Wangchuk of the Nature Conservation Division.

"Humans are not the major prey for the Himalayan Black bear since they are omnivore," he said. "It is their instinctive behaviour to attack. They attack in self defense."

The specialist said that bear attacks are common at this time of the year because they are preparing to hibernate for the winter. "The bears are roaming freely in search for food and when they encounter humans they attack in self defense or out of fright."

Although no study had been done on bears, the Nature Conservation Division of the agriculture ministry is carrying out a survey on bears in Bhutan, according to Dr. Sangay Wangchuk.

Villagers believe that a person encountering a bear should never look at the animal in the eye. "Provoked or unprovoked, bears never leave humans without inflicting severe injuries," said retired lam Namgay who encountered a bear on the way to Tshaluna, Thimphu, on October 25.

"You should play dead if you see a bear," Namgay said. "The best way to prevent an attack is to shout always when you are alone in the forest."

Records maintained with Kuensel showed that bears had mauled about 40 people across the country since the early 1990s. Five men, three women including an infant were killed in bear attack.

Bears also killed 115 heads of cattle and 54 pigs over a period of 15 years, according to Kuensel records. Two bears were also killed in reprisal attacks.

Internet sources said that the Himalayan black bear is the most carnivore of all bears although it usually feeds on fruits and berries.