Latest news with #grizzlybear
CTV News
30 minutes ago
- CTV News
No indication grizzly was ‘stalking or hunting' couple before attack: B.C. officials
Officials have completed their investigation into a grizzly bear attack that seriously injured a man in B.C. over the weekend, finding no need to try to trap or kill the animal. A couple were riding e-bikes around Kootenay Lake in Creston on Saturday 'likely startled the two bears in a surprise encounter on a corner of the trail, which is bordered by thick brush,' the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said in an update Monday. The pair were carrying bear spray, which allowed the woman to fend both animals off. The man required transport to hospital and surgery for unspecified but significant injuries from which he is expected to recover, according to the BC COS. 'No evidence was found to suggest either bear had been stalking or hunting the couple. There were no reports of bear activity or aggressive bear behaviour in the area prior to the Saturday afternoon attack,' the agency said. Because the attack was 'defensive in nature' no further steps will be taken. The BC COS is commending the couple for being prepared. 'They had bear spray, had it readily accessible, and knew how to use it,' said Insp. Dave Webster, in a statement. 'We'd like to recognize these actions and encourage anyone hiking, biking or recreating in bear country to take similar precautions.' Trails in the area remain closed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after grizzly bear attack in B.C.
A man was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries following a grizzly bear attack near Creston, B.C., officers say. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said in a social media post that the attack happened around 4:30 p.m. Saturday when a husband and wife were riding e-bikes along the Kootenay River near West Creston in southeast B.C. The service said the wife heard her husband scream and saw a grizzly bear running at her. She used bear spray and then realized a second bear was attacking her husband. The wife used bear spray again and both bears ran off, according to the BCCOS. "Emergency services were called, and the man was transported to hospital in Cranbrook by ambulance, where he underwent surgery," the BCCOS said. RCMP said in a separate statement that the attack happened in the West Creston Wildlife Park. Investigators believe the bears are two to three years old and are known to have been in the area over the last few years. According to police, the two victims were riding their bikes along the park's dike system, near a bat hut, when they were attacked. "The preparedness in this case by way of ready access and use of bear spray may prove to have been a life-saving measure," said Creston RCMP Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk in the statement, reminding hikers to be prepared to encounter predators in the wild. The BCCOS says conservation officers swept the area after the attack and didn't locate the bears. They closed three major trails in the area, installed signage and set up traps on Saturday night, but no bears were captured. The BCCOS is still searching for the grizzlies as of Saturday afternoon, according to the social media post. It says trails in the area will be closed until further notice. CBC News has reached out to B.C. Emergency Health Services and the BCCOS for more information. Creston Mayor Arnold DeBoon, a former conservation officer, told CBC News that there have been concerted efforts over the last few decades to restore grizzly bears in the Creston Valley. "Over the years, they certainly have increased in numbers in the Creston Valley itself," he said. "Because it's agricultural land, these grizzlies have made a home down in the valley and feed quite nicely on silage corn in late summer, and they've certainly tried to get at cherry orchards and other orchards here." DeBoon said it was the third grizzly attack he was aware of in the area in the last few years, but the two previous ones didn't result in life-threatening injuries. "It's something we worry about because we do have fairly thick cover in places in the valley," he said. "I'm sure there have been many times people have walked by grizzly bears and they're in thick cover." He advised people in the backcountry to be on the lookout for telltale signs of bear activity, like bear poop, scratch marks and overturned rocks. "When you're focused on something that you enjoy, you're not always thinking about what the risk factor is ... and again, there are probably a lot of people here that aren't aware of the number of grizzlies that do live quietly in our valley," the mayor said.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Grizzly bear attack leaves B.C. man with ‘significant injuries': officials
A grizzly bear fishes for salmon along the Atnarko River in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park near Bella Coola, B.C. Saturday, Sept 11, 2010. (Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS) A man was taken to hospital and required surgery after being attacked by a grizzly bear in B.C.'s Kootenay region this weekend, according to officials. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service was called to a trail in Creston around 4:30 p.m., a social media post said. 'A couple were e-biking along the Kootenay River when the wife heard her husband scream. She saw a grizzly bear running at her,' according to the BC COS. 'She used bear spray and then noticed a second grizzly bear attacking her husband. She again used bear spray and both bears ran off.' An ambulance transported the seriously injured man to hospital, the agency said, without providing further details. A sweep of the area did not locate the bears but signs were posted and three trails were closed. A trap set by the BC COS did not capture any animals overnight. '(Conservation officers) again attended the area this morning, locating the attack site and searching the surrounding area. No bears were seen. Trails remain closed at this time,' the agency said Sunday. According to WildSafeBC, conservation officers receive between 400 and 500 grizzly related calls each year – with peak season running from April to November. Sightings and concerning encounters should be reported by calling 1-877-952-7277.
National Post
a day ago
- National Post
Man riding e-bike attacked by grizzly bear in B.C., suffers 'significant' injuries
A man has suffered 'significant' injuries after a grizzly bear attack in the British Columbia Interior. Article content The province's Conservation Officer Service says in a post on Facebook that the attack happened at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday along the Kootenay River near West Creston, B.C. Article content Article content The post says a couple were e-biking along the river when the woman heard her husband scream, then saw a bear running toward her. Article content The service says the woman used bear spray on the animal to deter it, then saw a second one attacking her husband. Article content The woman then used the bear spray again, and both bears ran off as a result. Article content The man was taken to hospital in Cranbrook, B.C., via ambulance and underwent surgery for unspecified injuries. Article content The service says three major trails in the area have been closed while officers scoured the vicinity and set traps, but no bears were spotted or captured. Article content
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
Man hospitalized with significant injuries after grizzly bear attack in B.C.
A man was hospitalized with significant injuries following a grizzly bear attack near Creston, B.C., conservation officers say. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said in a social media post that the attack happened around 4:30 p.m. Saturday when a husband and wife were riding e-bikes along the Kootenay River near West Creston in southeast B.C. The service said the wife heard her husband scream and saw a grizzly bear running at her. She used bear spray and then realized a second bear was attacking her husband. The wife used bear spray again and both bears ran off, according to the BCCOS. "Emergency services were called, and the man was transported to hospital in Cranbrook by ambulance, where he underwent surgery," the BCCOS said. According to the service, conservation officers swept the area after the attack and didn't locate the bears. They closed three major trails in the area, installed signage and set up traps on Saturday night, but no bears were captured. The BCCOS is still searching for the grizzlies as of Saturday afternoon, according to the social media post. It says trails in the area will be closed until further notice.
