New Mexico man who fed wildlife at his home bitten by bear

Officials say a 70-year-old southern New Mexico man who regularly fed wildlife at his home suffered multiple injuries when he was bitten by a bear as he stepped outside.

The state Game and Fish Department says conservation officers went to the man’s Cloudcroft home Friday after his wife drove him to an Alamogordo hospital for treatment of injuries that included arm puncture wounds and leg scratches.

According to the department, the man acknowledged feeding cracked corn to wildlife and that multiple bears routinely entered the residence.

Officers found pet food bowls near the house, bear prints on windows and scratch marks on the porch.

Department Director Alexandra Sandoval says it’s good that the man will recover quickly from his injuries but feeding wildlife “is never an acceptable practice.”