A man in Ontario’s far north leapt onto a polar bear to save his wife from an attack outside their home in Fort Severn First Nation.

The bear lunged at the woman, who slipped, prompting her husband to intervene.

He suffered serious injuries to his arms and legs but is expected to recover.

A neighbor shot the bear, which later died in nearby woods, the BBC has reported.

Polar bear attacks on humans are rare, often linked to hunger or illness, and scientists attribute some incidents to climate change driving bears inland in search of food.

Written by B.C. Begley