Bear saves man in mountain lion attack

At least one man’s best friend is not his dog — it’s a wild bear that saved him from a mountain lion attack.

Thor, left, and Boo, denizens of the Detroit Zoo, recreate the epic bear/mountain lion scrap. (AP photo)

ParadisePost.com reports the unusual tale of Robert Biggs, 69, who was roaming the woods of north-central California Monday when the giant cat jumped him.

Biggs, a photographer who enjoys getting close to nature, but probably not this close, was initially saved by his backpack, which was “up around his head” and prevented the panther from landing a mortal blow.

After tussling with the panther for a few seconds, a bear appeared and battled the mountain lion for about 15 seconds, Biggs said, before the cat fled.

The bear left Biggs alone, and he suffered only relatively minor bites, bruises and bite marks.

Biggs told the Paradise, Calif., publication that he had been taking pictures of the bear and her cub before the mountain lion attacked him. He said he had taken pictures of the mother bear before, and had even played with an earlier cub.

Sounds like he owes momma bear a framed family portrait.