A 16-year-old boy was admitted to the North Carolina hospital and treated for injuries after a bear dragged him out of a hammock and attacked him, according to authorities, ABC News reported.
The teenager and his father were sleeping on Saturday night at a campsite located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The boy and his father were sleeping in hammocks not more than 10 feet away when the bear attacked him. The teen remained conscious throughout the ordeal, the park said in a news release.
The boy's father managed to drive the bear away and save his son's life, however, the teen had suffered multiple injuries and lacerations to his head from the attack and was rushed to the Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina early morning on Sunday. According to the news release, the teenager is now in a stable condition, reported The Inquisitr.
Bears are often attracted to campsites due to the food that is at times left outside by campers, however the father and his teenage boy had properly stored all the food and equipment. After the attack, park officials closed down a number of trails and campsites in the area, according to Asheville Citizen-Times.
"While incidents with bears are rare, we ask park visitors to take necessary precautions while hiking in bear country and comply with all backcountry closures," park official Cassius Cash said. "The safety of our visitors is our number one priority."
