Description

This is the horrifying moment a man is mauled by a BEAR after teasing the creature by dangling food in its jaws.



Naiphum Promratee, 36, had been with four friends when he decided to visit the temple in rural Phetchabun province, Thailand, this morning.



The monks keep around two dozen wild boars in a small enclosure and a bear in a cage which they care for and allow guests to feed.



Naiphum - responding to a an appeal for food donations for the animals - leaned against a surrounding wall and reached into the enclosure to feed the bear by dangling bowls of rice from the end of a rope.



But the bear stood on its legs and grabbed Naiphum, dragging him into the enclosure, knocking him unconscious before tearing a lump from his armpit.



Horrific footage shows the bear pinning him to the ground and mauling him while screaming friends poke the bear with poles.



They throw water at the bear, which walks away dragging Naiphum in its mouth back to its cage as it prepares to feast on him.



But one of the group ran into the enclosure and battered the bear in its cage with a pole while friends rescued Naiphum.



Emergency services arrived just after 11am local time. Naiphum was rushed to hospital where he is now recovering and able to talk.



Bpae Permpoonsap, 60, from the Khon Khao Koo Pai rescue service said: ‘’We received a report today of a bear attack at 11.10am.



''The bear was among other creatures being raised by monks at the temple. The man had gone to the temple with four or five friends and he was toying with the bear.



‘’It pulled him in and attacked him. We arrived and found the man injured seriously. He had been with his friends and wanted to feed the animals.



‘’He was lucky to survive and he is in hospital now and able to talk.’’



Bpae said the boars were outside in a nearby field while the bear roamed around the enclosure being fed.



Just the day before the head abbot at the Wat Luang Phor Lamai temple had said that some of the creatures were ‘’hungry’’ because they were not being given enough food.



They appealed for donations from members of the public. Naiphum made the trip after hearing about the plight of the creatures.