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2d ago

B.C. Trails Closed as Searches Continue After Grizzly Mauling and Cougar Encounter

Trail closures with active wildlife monitoring have been ordered near West Creston after a man was mauled by grizzlies following his wife’s deployment of bear spray.

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A sign warning of a bear in the area is shown in Squamish, B.C., Friday, Nov. 4, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amy Smart
FILE - In this May 26, 2020, file photo, a grizzly bear roams an exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo, closed for nearly three months because of the coronavirus outbreak in Seattle. Grizzly bears once roamed the rugged landscape of the North Cascades in Washington state but few have been sighted in recent decades. The federal government is scrapping plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem.

Overview

  • A man sustained significant injuries in a grizzly attack near West Creston on July 26 and remains hospitalized after undergoing surgery in Cranbrook.
  • His wife fended off two grizzlies with bear spray, deterring both animals and likely preventing a fatal outcome.
  • Conservation officers and RCMP have closed three major trails, installed warning signs and set traps overnight but have not captured or sighted the bears.
  • In a separate July 26 incident near Smithers a cougar swiped at a man working outdoors; he punched the animal to drive it off and suffered minor, non-life-threatening injuries.
  • Authorities continue to monitor both areas, urging outdoor visitors to carry deterrents, follow WildSafeBC guidelines and report aggressive wildlife via the RAPP line.