Will Ferrell s' Grizzly kills

THE 320kg grizzly bear that wrestled Will Ferrell in his comedy hit Semi-Pro has mauled a handler to death on an exotic animals range outside Los Angeles.

The 2.3m grizzly bear known as Rocky killed a trainer at the private US facility for exotic animals used in movies and television, authorities said.

Three experienced handlers were working with the bear at Randy Miller's Predators in Action facility in California today when the bear bit the 39-year-old man on the neck, said San Bernardi County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers.

The centre's staff used capsicum spray to subdue and contain the bear and there were no other injuries, she said.

Emergency teams responded to the incident, but could not revive the man.

The victim's name was not immediately released.

Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Phelps said the bear was a five-year-old male named Rocky.

The Predators in Action web site said Rocky appeared in a scene in Semi-Pro in which Will Ferrell's character wrestles a bear to promote his basketball team.

Calls seeking comment from Miller, a stuntman and operator of Predators in Action, were not immediately returned.

Miller doubled for Ferrell in the bear wrestling match, according to the centre's site.

The centre, located in the San Bernardino Mountains east of Los Angeles, has two grizzlies, and also trains lions, tigers, leopards, cougars and wolves for uses ranging from film and TV to advertising and education.