BY TERI GATTO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

69-year-old Robert Biggs owes his life to a momma bear.

On Monday, the Paradise, California resident was on a hike and gold panning expedition near Whiskey Flats when he came across a bear with a cub and a yearling sitting by a stream, reports ABC News.

Biggs took a few moments to watch the bears and was resuming his hike when a mountain lion pounced on his back and knocked the hiker to his knees.

"They usually grab hold of your head with all four paws, but my backpack was up above my head and [the mountain lion] grabbed it instead," Biggs told the Paradise Post. "It must have been stalking the little bear, but it was on me in seconds."

The Paradise Post reports that Biggs wrestled with the big cat and hit it with a rock hammer, but the animal would not let go.

The mother bear then stepped in and grabbed the mountain lion by the neck forcing the cat to let go of Biggs’ backpack.  The animals struggled for a few seconds and then the lion escaped.