Woman Attacked by Black Bear in Upstate New York

A 70-year-old woman was reportedly attacked by a black bear while working in her yard in Catskill, NY.

An Upstate New York woman is lucky to be alive after a terrifying encounter with a bear in her own backyard has left her afraid to leave the safety of her porch.

Bear Attacks Woman in Yard in Upstate New York

For 45 years, Jeanette Ricucci has called her Greene County home home, and like many residents, she's no stranger to seeing bears wander through the neighborhood. But what happened on the night of Friday, May 29th, 2026 is something she says she's never experienced before.

Black Bear Attack in Upstate New York

Ricucci told WNYT that is all happened while she was on the side yard of her property tending to a fire barrel when she was suddenly attacked by a bear.

"I didn't hear anything," Ricucci explained. "I just felt like somebody was standing behind me, and then I turned around, and when I turned around, he was already up on his hind legs and he just kind of smacked me."

The unexpected attack knocked her to the ground.

"I fell, he trampled over me and then ran across the street," she said.

While bear sightings are fairly common throughout Greene County, attacks involving people remain extremely rare. Ricucci said she has had plenty of encounters with bears over the years, including bears getting into garbage cans, climbing onto her porch, and even causing damage to a retaining wall on her property.

SEE ALSO: Watch Out For the Bear Family Spotted in the Hudson Valley, NY

In fact, surveillance cameras around her home have captured an increase in bear activity in recent years.

Black Bear

Bear Could Be Sick or Injured

What's even more concerning is that Ricucci believes the bear involved in the attack may have been sick or injured. She said she contacted environmental officials about a week and a half before the incident because she noticed a bear behaving strangely.

"There's something wrong with him," she recalled telling officials after observing the animal walking in circles.

Now, weeks after the frightening encounter, Ricucci says her daily routine has completely changed. Not knowing if the bear will return has left her living in fear.

"I'm petrified," she said. "I don't come off my porch."

The incident serves as a reminder that while bears are a part of life in Upstate New York, residents should remain alert, especially as bear activity increases during the warmer months. Wildlife officials often recommend securing garbage, removing food sources, and reporting bears that display unusual or aggressive behavior.