Woman Feeds Bear at Zoo, Loses Fingers

(AP)  Police say a bear bit off a woman's fingers at a Wisconsin zoo after she ignored barriers and warning signs to try to feed the animal.

The Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc closed after the incident Friday morning. Police say the 47-year-old woman lost a thumb and a forefinger, and two other fingers were partially severed.

The woman's boyfriend was bitten as he tried to pry the bear's mouth off her hand, but he didn't lose any fingers.

Her 3-year-old granddaughter wasn't injured.

A mayor's office statement says alcohol played a factor.

It's unclear which of two Asiatic black bears bit the women when she put her hand through their enclosure's fence.

Police tell the Herald Times Reporter the bears likely won't be euthanized.

Manitowoc is about 80 miles north of Milwaukee.

[6591Hou]

A candidate for the Darwin Awards.

[IndiasWorstTechSupport]

Bear wins lawsuit. Buys out Wisconsin Zoo. Ban's idiots from visiting.

[Ceres6]

The mayor's office says that alcohol played a factor in this incident. It is very upsetting when people go around the bushes and don't say things clearly. Are they insinuating that the bear was drunk?

[ladyang]

Bears (1)
woman and jacka$$ boyfriend (0)

[Empire-George-]

She fed the bear alright....some finger food

[roncee1]

"Police tell the Herald Times Reporter the bears likely won't be euthanized."

I should hope not! If anything this stupid person should be arrested for ignoring the warnings posted. If as the story goes, "alcohol played a factor", she should charged with child endangerment. I would hope the parents would be a bit more careful about letting granny take their child anywhere in the future.

[mforys]

stupid alcoholic grandparents... I dont even want to know where the kids parents were, or what they were doing.. (that's probably an even more rediculous story!) I really hope they dont put those bears down for this, that wouldnt be right.

[AtLasOn1Kl733]

Zoologist finds undigested fingers in bear poo still clutching beer nuts.

[agarwal1]

This story made me happy!!

Bear chopped her fingers off! ha HA HA!!

IT HAPPENED WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO HAPPENED.

[dellastreet-2009]

"Ya gotta love the bear on this one."
Such a dumb thing to do - and also alcohol involved, while she is tending to her granddaughter and supposedly caring for her. Amazing how some people operate. No wonder some kids fall by the wayside with people like this watching and teaching them. Wild animals are just that - wild! They may be cuddly in cartoons and movies but in real life, which is what we all are supposed to live in, is quite different. Read the signs, think about them if need be, and heed what they say. DO NOT FEED THE BEAR!