Overview

• Two grizzly bears charged an e-biking couple near West Creston on Saturday, and the wife used bear spray twice to drive both animals away.
• The man was hospitalized with significant injuries and underwent surgery at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook.
• Conservation officers and the RCMP closed three trails along the Kootenay River, posted warning signs and set traps overnight, and the closures remain in effect after officials paused the search.
• In a separate incident near Smithers, a cougar swiped at a man working outdoors, who punched the animal away and suffered only minor injuries.
• Officers continue to monitor the Smithers area after trapping and hound searches failed to locate the cougar, and they urge outdoor enthusiasts to carry bear spray and report wildlife sightings.