A Porter woman was bitten by a black bear that made its way into her backyard on Friday morning.
Lynn Kelly, 64, had been working in her backyard garden at around 11:30 a.m. when her dog started barking and disappeared into nearby woods, according to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife spokesperson Mark Latti.
When Kelly investigated, her dog ran out of the woods being chased by the bear.
Kelly confronted the bear by standing up as tall as possible, attempting to intimidate the animal. She then punched the bear on the nose, and was bitten on the right hand, according to Latti.
The bear then immediately retreated to the woods, and Kelly and her dog were left without serious injuries. Kelly was transported to the Memorial Hospital in North Conway and received treatment for puncture wounds.
Although there has been no sign of the bear since Friday morning, it had been seen in the area eating bird seed for the past few days. Maine DIF&W officials have set live traps in the area.
