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UPDATE: Grizzly bear will not be relocated after hiker 36, bit in ‘defensive attack’ near Pemberton

No action will be taken against the bear, conservation officers say
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Conservation officers are asking the public to avoid the North Creek Trail near Pemberton after a grizzly bear attack on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. (B.C. Conservation Officer Service/Facebook)

A 36-year-old man has been released from hospital with non-life threatening injuries after being bitten by a grizzly bear near Pemberton Friday (Sept. 11).

The Conservation Officer Service said the man was hiking in a group of three along the North Creek Trail, a remote site near Pemberton.

“The 36-year-old man had been hiking slightly ahead of the group when he spotted a bear cub and was suddenly attacked by a sow grizzly. The grizzly bit his leg and hand,” the agency said in a statement.

Conservation officers said that because the bear acted defensively, there won’t be any action taken.

The public is being asked to avoid the North Creek Trail at this time due to dense brush and heavy berry bushes in the area. The attack itself took place near the North Creek Cabin, which the BC Mountaineering Club has voluntarily closed for the reminder of the fall season.

This is the second grizzly bear attack reported in B.C. in less than a month. On Aug. 16, a man was sent to hospital after being attacked by a grizzly bear at Spruce Lake, north of Gold Bridge.

Tips on how to stay safe in the backcountry include travelling in groups, making noise, being aware of your surroundings and carrying bear spray. For more information, visit: https://wildsafebc.com.

ALSO READ: Man left with serious injuries after attack by grizzly bear with cubs in B.C.


@katslepian

katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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