A San Diego man suffered grave injuries after being mauled and dragged by a grizzly bear while on a hike in Montana.

Daniel Crago, 32, detailed the May 28 incident in an interview with CBS 8 and on the crowdfunding website GoFundMe, where he is currently raising money for medical expenses.

‘I see something off to my left, and it was a smaller cub, but it was already behind me,’ Crago told CBS 8 on Friday.

‘It was walking, continued walking in their direction. Didn’t seem to notice [me].’ 

He then came face-to-face with a much larger bear. The encounter occurred in Glacier National Park, which is home to some 300 grizzlies.

Crago told his hometown station: ‘At that point, I did what they kind of teach or train you to do: just alert the bear so you don’t startle. You make them aware. So, I did that.’

After attempting to alert the animal with a quick ‘Hey bear! Hey bear!’, the bear ‘charged,’ he said.

The animal quickly sunk its teeth into his right arm, Crago recalled.

Daniel Crago, 32, was mauled and nearly dragged to death by a grizzly bear while on a hike in Montana last week

After the attack, the hiker glanced down at his arm to see his hand ‘just kind of dangling,’ he said this week. He shared an X-ray of his arm to a GoFundMe

‘I just kind of thought “this is it.” It bit down on my arm, dragged me maybe 20ft,’ Crago said.  

‘I kind of flipped, landed on my backside, opened my eyes, and the bear had continued running down the mountain.’ 

He looked down at his arm and saw his hand ‘just kind of dangling,’ he told hiking website Backpacker.com.

‘It was just pure panic… I was screaming for help, and started climbing back up toward the trail.’

Thankfully, some nearby hikers were able to help the hiker stop the bleeding and stabilize his arm.  

Crago also told CBS 8 that in another stroke of luck, ‘the bear didn’t injure the wrist, didn’t injure the elbow. It was just a complete crush of the bones, the forearm bones.’

He was then airlifted to a hospital in Kalispell, Montana, he said.

Three surgeries later, Crago ‘will need at least one more,’ he told prospective donors in a description attached to his GoFundMe.

Montana’s Glacier National Park has a higher density of grizzly bears than any other national park in the Lower 48. It is often referred to as ‘bear country’

As of writing, Crago has raised $22,351 raised of a $24,000 goal. All proceeds exceeding medical costs will be donated to the National Park Service, he said

Posting from his home in San Diego, Crago said the costs he’s had to incur so far have been ‘overwhelming.’

‘I am reaching out for help to cover these expenses so I can continue my recovery without the added stress of financial hardship,’ he wrote

He thanked the hikers he said ‘saved [his] life’ and friends who visited him at the Logan Hospital staff in Kalispell as well as its staff.

‘Your kindness and expertise saved my life, and I am thankful beyond words. If you are able to support my fundraiser, your generosity will help me move forward and heal. Thank you for being part of my journey.’

‘All proceeds exceeding medical costs will be donated to the National Park Service,’ he wrote.

Montana’s Glacier National Park has a higher density of grizzly bears than any other national park in the continental US. It is widely referred to as ‘bear country.’

Park officials advise visitors to stay vigilant, and that if they do run into a bear, ‘stay calm, speak in a steady voice, back away slowly and do not make sudden movements.’

As of writing, Crago has raised $22,351 of a desired $24,000 goal.