Jackson Hole, Wyoming - A grizzly bear accidentally sprayed itself with pepper spray while attacking a hiker in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. The burst of bear repellant gave the hiker a chance to flee.

Per multiple media outlets, wildlife officials have announced that the animal that attacked a hiker on Saturday on Signal Mountain won't be captured or killed because it may have been protecting a cub.

Wildlife officials said in a press release that while the investigation is ongoing, they think it was a "surprise encounter" involving two bears.

The grizzly scared itself off its prey when it chomped down on the man's can of bear repellent. The bite got the bear hit with a burst of the stuff and sent it running.

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The hiker, a 35-year-old Massachusetts man, played dead while being mauled.

He made it to safety when the grizzly fled. Once he found service, he used his cell to call for help and was airlifted to a local hospital. The hiker, whose name has not been released, is expected to make a full recovery.

Rangers in the National Park weren't familiar with the bears involved in the attack, but consider the behavior natural for animals that get surprised.

The hiker told rangers he alerted bears in the area of his presence by making noise. Moments before the attack, he saw a small bear run from him. He was reaching for his bear spray when a bigger grizzly charged. The animal bit him a few times before biting into the repellant, which burst and scared the bear away.

Officials closed Signal Mountain and the trail to the summit following the attack. They have yet to say when the area will reopen.