A brave woman fended off an aggressive bear by punching it in the nose after she was knocked to the ground.
The unnamed woman, from Washington, was left injured after an adult female black bear attacked her when she was at home on Saturday morning.
She was letting her dog out at around 7am in Leavenworth, a village in the Cascade Mountains, when the volatile bear charged at the woman and knocked her to the ground.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife said her injuries are thought not to be life-threatening but she was rushed to hospital with significant injuries.
According to Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the woman remains in hospital where she is being treated after the shocking attack.
It was revealed the bear was killed in the area later that morning by Fish and Wildlife officers, cops said.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife revealed one of the reasons behind killing the bear was that the animal was too fat - after eating too many leftovers and raiding bins.
Rich Beausoleil, a state wildlife biologist, told NBC Seattle the woman deserved praised for punching the bear on the nose after being bodied by the aggressive animal.
He said: "She didn't see it coming so she could not make herself big, clap her hands, you know, yell at the bear, wave her arms.
"Those are the things we usually tell people to do."
The biologist said being confrontational and aggressive with the bear could have seen the animal get angrier and led to potentially devastating consequences.
Mr Beausoleil added: "If the bear knocks you down, then yes, your solution is to fight.
"It was just instinct for her. She just turned around and popped it right in the nose."
The bear would have been "shook" by the woman's actions as the animal ran away.
Fish and Wildlife Captain Mike Jewell believed the killing of the bear was due to officers having no other choice in order to help protect the public.
He said: "Public safety is our priority. Our officers and staff were quick to mobilise to locate the animal and secure the scene."
Officials said Washington has not had a fatal bear attack on humans since 1974 - with only 19 attacks on humans since 1970.
Experts said it is rare for a black bear mother to get aggressive unless it is to protect her children.
The U.S. Forest Service said: "Black bear mothers seldom attack people in defense of cubs.
"Black bear mothers typically bluff or retreat."
Fish and Wildlife officials said they found two cubs belonging to the black bear, who were said to be nine months old, but could not say whether they were a factor in the attack.
The black cubs were taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility following the attack.
