A 70-year-old man has shot dead a brown bear in south-western France after it attacked and injured him while he was out hunting wild boar, reports BBC News.
The man reportedly fired two shots with a rifle at the female bear, who was wandering with her cubs at the time, killing the animal instantly.
Local media report that the man suffered serious leg injuries and was taken to a hospital in Toulouse.
Police are now investigating the Saturday afternoon incident.
The man, part of a local hunting association in the Seix region of Ariège, had been bitten by the bear several times, causing damage to the arteries in his legs, police said.
AFP news agency reports that a source close to the case said the man was in a serious condition.
Police said they responded to an emergency call at about 15:30 local time (14:30 GMT) and when they arrived at the scene, they discovered the dead bear just metres from where the hunter was lying injured.