The photo from Darsh Patel's phone shows the bear approaching. Photo: AP
West Milford: A New Jersey hiker killed by a bear in September took a series of photos of the animal with his mobile phone before it mauled him to death.
Police in West Milford have released five photos taken by 22-year-old Darsh Patel before he was killed by the 135-kilogram black bear while hiking with four friends in the Apshawa Preserve, 70 kilometres north-west of New York.
Police said the hikers became separated as they fled when the bear began to follow them.
'During the confusion the group became separated as they ran in different directions,' police said in a statement at the time.
Four of the hikers regrouped and contacted police after failing to find their friend. Searchers found Patel's body two hours later.
'Evidence at the scene indicated that the victim had been attacked by a bear. A bear was located at the scene and immediately euthanised,' said police.
Investigators say the phone was found with puncture marks from the bear.
The photos were released after local website NJ.com filed an open records request.
The photos show the bear behind a fallen tree in the woods, looking towards the hikers.
The group split up as the bear came within 4.5 metres, NJ.com reported. Patel was last seen climbing a rock formation as he yelled for his friends to continue, with the bear right behind him, the website reported.
AP, AFP
Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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