Wildlife officer carried away on stretcher after being attacked by bear in forest

A wildlife officer survived being mauled by a bear while patrolling a mountain in Thailand.Danai, 39, an officer with the Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province, was walking through the woods when an Asian black bear appeared behind the trees and swiped at him with its large claws on May 17. Danai collapsed onto the forest floor as the beast then proceeded to bite his face and torso.Before Danai could be ripped apart, the other park staff drove the bear away by bashing it with sticks. It fled into the jungle, and they called rescuers for help to bring the injured officer down from the mountain. Footage shows a rescue team navigating the terrain as they carried Danai on a stretcher.He suffered wounds on his chest, shoulder, back, and hips, but is now in a safe condition.Danai said: 'The bear ambushed me. I didn't see it so I couldn't defend myself in time. I am lucky to have survived the attack.'Asian black bears are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to threats like habitat loss and poaching. There are believed to be more than 1,000 roaming through forests in the wild in Thailand.