BITTEN BY BEAR

ATTENDANT AT ZOO

ATTACK QUITE UNEXPECTED

(By /elegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, February 2.

Attacked by a ten-year-old black bear at the Auckland Zoo this morning, a keeper, Mr. W. Hawke, suffered severe lacerations to the left; leg. He [ was carrying out the usual daily cleaning of, the pit when the animal attacked him without warning, gripping him behind the knee -with its teeth. * The bear is a member of a species common in America. It was born' at the zoo ten years ago and at no time showed signs of viciousness. It was held in* such trust, in fact, that it was allowed to roam loose, in the pit while cleaning was carried out. Another occupant of the pit, a bear newlyarrived from California, was not sufficiently well known to the keepers to be trusted in such a way, and it was locked up, each time they entered. Mr.' Hawke entered the pit this morning in company with his brother, Mr. Alan Hawke, who is also a keeper.' Apparently the animal had the traditional bear's "sore head" and was "out of sorts" for the time being, for if turneoV suddenly on the keeper and its sharp fangs tore into the flesh, of his leg. His brother came quickly to his assistance and drove the bear away. He then helped his brother to climb out of the pit. Medical attention was given while the arrival of an ambulance was awaited. Mr. Hawke was taken to the Auckland Hospital, where his condition this afternoon was satisfactory, f Accidents of this kind in zoological1 gardens are extremely rare. It is be-1 lieved, indeed, that never Defore has a keeper at the Auckland Zoo been attacked in such a way :by any animal. In Yellowstone Park, United States, the black bear roams wild in forest preservations and is a constant attraction to tourists. ^