US Fish and Wildlife Service field assistant Amber Kornak was attacked from behind by a grizzly bear while working near a stream in the Cabinet Mountains, Montana

A US government wildlife worker was viciously attacked by a bear one week after starting her dream job researching the fearsome animals, leaving her with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.

US Fish and Wildlife Service field assistant AmberKornak was attacked from behind while working near a stream in the Cabinet Mountains, Montana. Ms Kornak was able to reach a canister of mace-like bear spray, but managed to spray it on herself before using it to deter the grizzly.

According to a friend, Ms Kornak bravely hiked two miles after the savage attack to find help. She suffered two fractures to her skull and severe lacerations on her head, neck and back.

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Friend Jenna Hemer wrote on a gofundme page: "Amber's wildlife training skills kicked in, and she somehow managed to stay calm and hike 2 miles from the site of the attack to her work vehicle where she then drove to find help. 911 was called and she was driven to an ambulance, delivered to life flight, and flown to Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

"Once arriving at the hospital, she endured 4 grueling hours of surgery to remove bone fragments and clean wounds to her brain. Metal plates and screws were placed on her skull and drains were placed in her brain to relieve brain swelling and drain fluid. The lacerations to her scalp, neck, and back were also debrided.

"Her condition is now stable, and she is recovering in the ICU where they can keep her comfortable with pain medications and monitor her for seizures (from the brain swelling) and watch for signs of infection (from the extent of her wounds)."

According to the BBC, Ms Kornak accepted a seasonal position as grizzly bear wildlife technician for the US Fish and Wildlife Service on May 10, 2018. The attack happened just a week later on May 17.

The bear enthusiast had been working on a study gathering bear hair to analyse their DNA when she was attacked from behind. Ms Kornak has been collecting samples near a stream when she was set upon.

Agency spokeswoman Jennifer Strickland said Ms Kornak was following the right protocols for working in grizzly bear country, including carrying bear spray and a satellite communication device that she used to call 911 just after the mauling.

Speaking on the Artemis Podcast in February 2022, Ms Kornak spoke about the attack and revealed she recovered after spending some time in hospital. In fact, the bear lover even returned to the spot where she was attacked that summer with her father "to take a walk". Despite her recovery, Ms Kornak lost hearing in her left ear as a result of the attack.

Ms Kornak said an investigation found it was a "surprise encounter" between herself and the bear, with hair samples collected from the scene of the attack determining exactly what bear it was. The animal was put down by vets a couple of years later "because he had broken into multiple enclosed buildings" in nearby city Libby.