A hiker from New Jersey who was killed by a black bear back in September took photos of the animal that eventually mauled him to death, West Milford Police released in a statement.

Darsh Patel, 22, have taken a total of five photos of the 300-pound black bear while he and four of his friends hiked in the Apshawa Preserve located 45 miles north of New York. The bear moved closer and closer to the student in the series of photos retrieved.

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The photos showed the bear was meters away from him and was standing still behind a fallen tree in the said area. Investigators pointed out that the phone was found with holes from the attack of the bear. The photos have been released only now as NJ.com filed an open records request about the said photographs.

According to the West Milford police and the Environmental Protection Department of NY, the bear was not interested in the food carried by the hiker but it displayed a "stalking type behavior". They added that the young hikers have gotten the attention of the bear by taking the snaps.  

Police said, "They stopped and took photographs of the bear with their cellphones and the bear began walking towards them."

The student is from Rutgers and is the first person to be killed by a black bear in New Jersey.

Due to the first-ever incident, the Division of Fish & Wildlife has announced the following tips when a bear is encountered: Never feed or approach a bear; Remain calm and do not run form it, instead back away slowly; Make the bear aware of your presence by asserting your voice or making noises; Make sure the bear has an escape path; and Avoid direct eye contact.

You can report damages or nuisance caused by black bear to the toll-free hotline: 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).

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