A man suffers “significant injuries” in a grizzly bear attack while hunting with his father in Canada

A man in British Columbia suffered “significant injuries” after he was attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting with his father, Canadian authorities said Friday.

The 36-year-old man and his father were tracking a bear with dogs near Elkford – a remote area about 80 miles southwest of Calgary – on Thursday when an adult grizzly bear suddenly attacked him, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a news release . Although he suffered broken bones and cuts in the attack, the man was able to defend himself with his weapon and the bear ran away. His father called for help.

The victim suffered “significant injuries” and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Calgary, where he is being held, according to the Conservation Officer Service. The man was in stable condition when he was airlifted from the scene, police said.

Initially there was no indication whether the grizzly was alive or wounded. After an extensive search, conservation officers found a dead grizzly bear in the area around 9:00 p.m. local time. Officials said they were confident it was the bear involved in the attack, which succumbed to its gunshot wounds.

Conservation officers worked with Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers to interview the victim and collect evidence.

Grizzly attacks are rare, but there have been a few incidents in both Canada and the United States in recent months. Last fall, a Canadian incident happened The couple and their dog were killed discovered by a grizzly bear while backpacking in Banff National Park. The couple’s nephew said they sent one last threatening message They sent from their GPS device: “Bear attack bad.”

Just a few weeks earlier, a hunter was in Montana seriously injured from a grizzly bear.

Last July a grizzly bear fatally assaulted a woman on a forest trail west of Yellowstone National Park. The bear was later euthanized after breaking into a home near West Yellowstone in August.

This month there was also a 21-year-old woman planting trees seriously injured by a bear in British Columbia. Canadian officials were unable to find the animal but believe it was a grizzly bear that attacked the woman.

In October 2022, a grizzly bear attacked and injured two college wrestlers in the Shoshone National Forest in northwestern Wyoming.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, grizzly bears are considered an endangered species in the 48 contiguous states.

Last month, the US National Park Service announced it would launch a campaign to capture grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park for research purposes. The agency urged the public to avoid areas with traps as they were clearly marked.