Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services is currently looking into the incident where a hunter was attacked by a grizzly bear in the Springbank area, situated to the west of Calgary. The grizzly responsible for the attack was shot and killed by the hunter’s companion, while another bear fled the scene. The status and age of the fleeing bear are unknown, with Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen suggesting it may have been part of a mother-cub pair.
The future of the bear that fled will be determined by various factors, according to retired Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer John Clarke. Clarke mentioned that a sow grizzly typically stays close to her cubs until they are around three years old, and considerations will be made based on the bear’s maturity. If the bear is deemed capable of surviving without its mother, authorities may opt to leave it in its natural habitat.
The response to orphaned grizzly cubs includes options such as housing them in a zoo, taking no action, or euthanasia, as outlined in the province’s grizzly bear response guide. Unlike black bears, orphaned grizzly bears cannot be rehabilitated and released back into the wild under the provincial Wildlife Act. Notably, two grizzly bear cubs found themselves at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo after their mother was killed, where they will remain permanently.
Efforts are underway to confirm the identity of the bear responsible for the attack through DNA analysis. Despite being in non-life-threatening condition, the victim of the mauling was airlifted to the hospital in serious condition. Minister Loewen highlighted the increasing presence of grizzly bears near urban areas, signifying an expansion of their range in Alberta.
The province’s grizzly bear management plan delineates core and support areas for grizzly bear habitation, with sightings occurring more frequently beyond these designated zones. The grizzly bear population in Alberta has risen to over 1,150, leading to increased encounters with humans. Concerns have been raised about grizzly bear attacks on livestock, with 62 confirmed reports of such incidents this year. The recent mauling incident is one of three grizzly bear attacks responded to by the province this year, including a non-fatal mauling near Cardston and the Diamond Valley encounter resulting in two orphaned cubs under zoo care.