powderburn
Active member
For those of you who never caught this on the news .
Two forestry surveyors mauled in a rare wintertime bear attack Saturday south of Grande Prairie likely disturbed a hibernating grizzly, say officials.
Both workers, a 25-year-old woman and 24-year-old man, have undergone surgery and are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Grande Prairie.
"It appears the surveyors walked over a den not knowing it was there," said Annette Bidniak, spokesman with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.
"The bear came up behind them."
The duo, contracted by the province, were surveying for mountain pine beetles in a remote area called Sherman Meadows, about 16 km east of the Nose Mountain fire lookout tower and about 155 km south of Grande Prairie, Bidniak said.
They were nearing the end of their shift about 4:30 p.m., when they apparently woke the sleeping bear.
"The bear charged the man first, then turned on the woman and then retreated," Bidniak told the Sun, adding it appears the bear wasn't predatory. "He was startled."
At the time of the attack, a helicopter was flying into the area to pick up the surveyors and it's believed the noise from the chopper may have scared off the bear.
"We're not sure at this point," Bidniak said.
The woman suffered undisclosed injuries to her right hand and wrist, while the man suffered an injury to his left thigh, said Peace Country Health Region spokesman Deb Guerette.
Both victims were expected to remain in hospital for the next few days.
"It is unusual for there to be a bear attack in the winter months," Bidniak said.
"Any bear can be roused from sleep if it's disturbed. In this situation, they were doing work and happened on the bear. Those are the dangers of working in an area like that."
The victims' names weren't released.
The bear, believed to be a grizzly, hadn't been located by press time.
Two forestry surveyors mauled in a rare wintertime bear attack Saturday south of Grande Prairie likely disturbed a hibernating grizzly, say officials.
Both workers, a 25-year-old woman and 24-year-old man, have undergone surgery and are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Grande Prairie.
"It appears the surveyors walked over a den not knowing it was there," said Annette Bidniak, spokesman with Alberta Sustainable Resource Development.
"The bear came up behind them."
The duo, contracted by the province, were surveying for mountain pine beetles in a remote area called Sherman Meadows, about 16 km east of the Nose Mountain fire lookout tower and about 155 km south of Grande Prairie, Bidniak said.
They were nearing the end of their shift about 4:30 p.m., when they apparently woke the sleeping bear.
"The bear charged the man first, then turned on the woman and then retreated," Bidniak told the Sun, adding it appears the bear wasn't predatory. "He was startled."
At the time of the attack, a helicopter was flying into the area to pick up the surveyors and it's believed the noise from the chopper may have scared off the bear.
"We're not sure at this point," Bidniak said.
The woman suffered undisclosed injuries to her right hand and wrist, while the man suffered an injury to his left thigh, said Peace Country Health Region spokesman Deb Guerette.
Both victims were expected to remain in hospital for the next few days.
"It is unusual for there to be a bear attack in the winter months," Bidniak said.
"Any bear can be roused from sleep if it's disturbed. In this situation, they were doing work and happened on the bear. Those are the dangers of working in an area like that."
The victims' names weren't released.
The bear, believed to be a grizzly, hadn't been located by press time.
