Professor killed by bear remembered as ‘beautiful, unique’
CALGARY — Alberta Fish and Wildlife has confirmed 59-year-old University of Calgary professor David Lertzman was killed in a bear attack off Moss Trail near Waiparous Creek on Tuesday evening.
“He was really a beautiful, unique, marvellous human being,” Jim Dewald, dean of the U of C’s Haskayne School of Business said.
“Professors will spend their entire career in the hopes that one day a student or graduate will come and say, ‘what you taught me changed my life.’ That happened every single time he ran his course.”
Lertzman was an assistant professor of environmental management and sustainable development at the Haskayne School of Business. He taught graduate and undergraduate courses on leadership and sustainable development with Indigenous peoples, and ran wilderness retreat courses in Kananaskis.
He had a wilderness retreat scheduled for this week.
“It was very academically rigorous, you had to go through academic papers and that, but you also had to learn how to live as one with the environment. It was a super popular, oversubscribed course,” Dewald said.
“My email has totally blown up today with people so distraught and devastated. Generally, he was friends with everyone and, if he wasn’t your friend, he called you his brother, and that’s just how he was.”
Police were called to the area just before midnight on Tuesday following calls that a man had left his residence to go for a run earlier in the evening and hadn’t returned. RCMP police dog services and the Calgary Police Service HAWCS helicopter unit assisted in the search.
Cochrane RCMP found Lertzman dead on a trail off Waiparous Creek early Wednesday morning, and alerted Fish and Wildlife that he was likely the victim of an animal attack.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers have closed the area due to its proximity to the village while they attempt to locate and capture the bear.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and the community of Waiparous Creek,” Fish and Wildlife said in a statement.
Cpl. Troy Savinkoff with the Cochrane RCMP said an autopsy will be conducted and that next of kin have been notified.
Parks Canada reminds the public to make noise when out in bear country, watch for fresh signs of bear activity, use marked paths and trails, and always carry bear spray and know how to use it.
“We’re all so sad for the loss but I know on reflection for the rest of our lives we’ll think how privileged were we to have known David Lertzman,” Dewald said.