Man injured in attack by grizzly in Alberta

• A geocaching enthusiast managed to fight off a grizzly bear that tried to drag him into the bush in the foothills of the Rockies, before driving himself into town for help.

Paramedics were called to Water Valley, a hamlet some 80 kilometres northwest of Calgary about 12: 45 p. m. on Sunday and found a man in his 50s suffering from serious injuries.

Didsbury RCMP said the man was geocaching — a treasure- hunting hobby using GPS co- ordinates — west of the town when he was attacked by the bear.

A brief struggle ensued between the unidentified man and the bear, which attempted to drag him into the bush. He was able to escape in his vehicle and drive himself into Water Valley.

Aprille Walker, who works at the Water Valley General Store, saw the man as he was being put into a waiting ambulance. She said he had lacerations on the left side of his face and his arms.

Walker added the victim was alert and talking while paramedics worked on him.

Kim Titchener, a humanwildlife conflict expert and founder of Bear Safety & More, said it is not uncommon for people to walk away from bear attacks.

“There have been many cases where people have, after a bear attack, got up, walked to the trail head and got in their vehicle and drove themselves to the hospital,” said Titchener.

This incident, however, does serve as a warning to never go out into bear country alone.

“Most bear attacks are on people who are by themselves or small groups of two or three,” said Titchener. “If you’re in a large group of four or more, you really reduce the chance of, one, surprising a bear, because more people means you’re louder, and the second thing is a bear is much less likely to attack a large group because they’re much more intimidating.”

Titchener suggests looking out for bear droppings, which will often look like jam during berry season, and bear prints, as well as overturned rocks and plants pulled out of the ground, as bears like to eat the roots.

Another thing that people don’t realize about grizzly bears, said Titchener, is that they like to be in open areas, such as alpine meadows. They originally lived on the prairie and ranchlands of Alberta.

As of Sunday afternoon, the bear had not been located, but due to the remote location of the attack, there is no danger to the public at this time, officials said.

The i nvestigation has been taken over by provincial Fish and Wildlife officers.

MOST BEAR ATTACKS ARE ON PEOPLE WHO ARE BY THEMSELVES.