Imam injured in bear attack while mushroom picking

According to the information obtained, 46-year-old Erdem Çanakçıoğlu, the imam of Elmaçukuru village in the Abana district, went to a forested area between Elmaçukuru and Kadıyusuf villages with his friends to pick mushrooms, where he was attacked by a bear.

Çanakçıoğlu was injured in the arm and head during the bear attack. He was able to escape the attack after his friends, who were with him, fired shots into the air.

Çanakçıoğlu was brought to Abana District Hospital by medical teams called to the scene. Following initial treatment there, he was transferred to Kastamonu Training and Research Hospital.

Ziya Eker, a resident of Elmaçukuru village, said, "He is our village's imam. While he was picking mushrooms in the forested area between Elmaçukuru and Kadıyusuf villages, a bear appeared and attacked him. As a result, those with him fired shots into the air.

After that, there was a struggle between the imam and the bear. Our teacher survived the struggle with injuries. He was brought to Abana State Hospital, where he received his first treatment.

Our teacher has injuries to his head and arm. We wish him a speedy recovery. This is a very dangerous situation for us; we cannot even leave our homes in this state. Last year, it had come right up to our house and broken my fig trees," he said.

News Source: İHA