A nine-year-old boy on a hunting trip has been left with serious injuries after being mauled by a brown bear.
The young lad was attacked alongside a 41-year-old male while in the forest north of Anchorage in Alaska yesterday, according to Alaska State Troopers.
The pair were approaching a brown bear and her cub when they were attacked, reports say.
The man was carrying a gun and shot and killed the bear during the mauling, Fox News reported.
The duo - who are related - were rushed to a nearby hospital where the boy was treated for serious injuries.
State troopers are yet to disclose the identities of the wounded hunters, or the current condition of the child.
Officials plan to perform a necropsy on the bear's remains as part of an investigation into the incident.
Wildlife officers have received reports of a bear wreaking havoc on locals' chicken coops.
Troopers are looking into whether the bear that attacked the pair is the same as the one responsible for the chicken and turkey killings.
In California last week, a cashier was left stunned when a massive bear "with manners" strolled in and treated itself to some chocolate bars.
Christopher Kinson, 54, noticed the doors of the 7-Eleven in Olympic Valley, California, but didn't see anyone come in.
It wasn't until Christopher looked down and noticed the bear munching on some snacks during the night shift in the early hours of Tuesday, September 12.
He said: "It's funny. It's like it was purposely polite to take one candy bar at a time, it's almost like it had manners."
Originally from Wisconsin, Christopher added: "Initially I was surprised. I see the door open, and I don't see a torso and I am like 'oh my god. It's a bear'.
