Arkansas Man Airlifted Critical After Rare Franklin County Bear Attack

A rare bear attack occurred in Franklin County, Arkansas, when a man in his 70s was attacked by a black bear while working on a gravel road near Mulberry Mountain. The victim's son witnessed the attack and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) wardens killed the smaller black bear at the scene. The man was airlifted first to Washington Regional Medical Center and then transferred to UAMS for further treatment; his condition remains critical. This marks the first documented black bear attack in Arkansas in at least 25 years, a rarity given the state's estimated population of around 5,000 black bears. AGFC officials are conducting a necropsy on the bear to understand what might have triggered the unusual attack, considering possible causes such as habituation, feeding, or disease. Residents are advised to avoid attracting bears by securing food sources, as young male bears typically emerge in late spring and may come near towns.