A local resident was taken to hospital after being attacked by a bear near his home in Croatia's popular Plitvice Lakes National Park, police said on Saturday.

The 64-year-old man's arm was bitten by a bear in his hamlet late on Friday, police told AFP in a statement.

The victim was admitted to hospital in the nearby coastal town of Gospic after sustaining serious injuries.

No other details were immediately available.

Plitvice Lakes National Park in central Croatia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is visited by more than 1.5 million tourists every year.

Unlike in many other parts of Europe, brown bears in Croatia have managed to survive habitat loss and persecution by humans. Up to 1,000 of the animals remain in the southern European country, including in the central forest where the park is located.

Local authorities allow the hunting of around 100 bears each year, despite their status as a protected species.