The idea for this series developed when PJ Media’s former managing editor, Paula Bolyard, and I began regularly exchanging news stories about encounters with wild animals. We tried to one-up each other by finding the most shocking animal attacks on—or close calls with—humans. Whether it was a feline stalker on a hiking trail, an uninvited furry animal in a home, or a once-calm creature in captivity that suddenly went wild, the stories seemed endless.
The spookiest encounters aren’t always the bloodiest, most violent, or most tragic. Sometimes it’s the ones that end well—but leave you wondering what could have happened. A face-to-face standoff, or being followed for miles, can make your heart pound.
With the year coming to a close, I’ve chosen five unforgettable encounters in 2025.
5. Bear Attacks Man on Public Toilet in Japan
I had to do a double take when I read this news: 13 people have been killed by bears in Japan since April. That number is so high it makes you wonder if it’s more than the number of people who have died in the shower—which, as it turns out, isn’t as safe as you might think.There's actually been a study on the "Incidence of Symptoms and Accidents During Baths and Showers Among the Japanese General Public." Its conclusion was that the "general public should be educated about the possibility of such accidents during bathing." Should they also be warned about the possibility of bear attacks while using the bathroom? Dave Manny recently wrote in "Floodwater, Sewers, and the Fear Below" about rats visiting you through your toilet when sewer systems overflow. I think I'd be more scared of a bear. The Guardian reports:
The victim, a 69-year-old security guard, told police he had noticed the bear, which was 1-1.5 meters long, peering inside as he was about to leave the building in Gunma prefecture, north of Tokyo, in the early hours of Friday, Kyodo news agency and broadcaster NHK reported.
The man, who has not been named, fell backwards and fought the bear off by kicking his legs, causing it to flee. He suffered minor injuries to his right leg but was able to run to a nearby police box to report the incident, which occurred near a railway station that had closed for the night.
This probably wouldn’t have made my list if it weren’t for the detail about the bear peering in the window before the attack. Spooky, indeed.
4. Mountain Lions Follows Woman Alone on California Hiking Trail
While the eye contact in the first story ended badly, it isn’t always a mistake—especially when it could save your life, as it appears to have in this case. A woman was hiking alone on a Southern California trail when a mountain lion began following her. You can hear the fear in her voice as she shouts, “No! No! No!” She didn’t run and maintained eye contact with the cougar, which is exactly what you’re supposed to do if one gets too close. Eventually, it ran behind a bush. I’m impressed that she returned to the same trail the very next day—I just hope she wasn’t alone again.
3. Family of Mountain Lions Surrounds Colorado Home
Mountain lions are the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to harrowing encounters. Here, a family of them is scoping out the backyard of a Colorado home. The way the first mountain lion in the video stops and—here’s that word again—peers inside is enough to give you goosebumps.
2. Bear Moves in to Crawl Space Under California Home
At least those cougars were soon on their way. This bear, however, wanted to stick around a little longer, taking up residence in the narrow crawl space beneath a Southern California home. I’ll let the homeowner explain what it feels like to have a 500-lb. uninvited visitor who won’t leave: “It’s terrifying. I have to stop shaking. I’m starting to get used to it, but it sounds like a dragon.”
1. Zookeeper Attacked by Lions at Safari Park in Thailand
The previous incidents did not result in any deaths. Sadly, that wasn’t the case with the last item on the list. A zookeeper was mauled to death by lions at a safari park in Thailand, with horrified visitors witnessing the entire attack. The details are chilling:
Witnesses said at least three lions dragged the zookeeper to the ground and attacked him after he stepped out of his work vehicle in violation of safety regulations, according to the state-run Thai News Agency.
The victim, who was in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the hospital after his colleagues managed to pull him away from the lions, which reportedly mauled him for about 15 minutes, TNA said.
As always, share your own encounters with wild animals or any stories I may have missed this year in the comments.
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