BURST
The grizzly bear attack on a school group in Bella Coola this week was one of several high-profile sightings and attacks in B.C. this past year.
In May, a grizzly swam from Powell River to Texada Island, where it wandered for over a month before being killed by a local resident .
In July, a man and his wife were riding e-bikes near Creston, when they went around a corner with heavy brush on both sides and came face-to-face with a pair of grizzlies . The man’s wife used bear spray to scare off both bears but not before one bear knocked the man from his bike and mauled him.
There has been an unusual amount of grizzly activity this year, according to experts.
Here’s what you need to know:
How common is it for grizzlies to attack large groups?
It’s “extremely unusual” for a grizzly bear to attack a large group of people, said Kim Titchener, founder of Bear Safety & More, a wildlife safety training organization based in Alberta.
“What we find with their attacks is that usually people are by themselves or with one other person,” Titchener said.
In rare cases where grizzlies attack large groups it’s often because one or two people strayed away from the larger group and startled a bear, which then chased them back to the bigger group, she said.
Are grizzly bears coming into contact with humans more often?
“It certainly feels like this year in British Columbia and Alberta that there have been a lot of attacks,” Titchener said.
Titchener said growing populations and habitat loss are major reasons grizzlies are coming into contact with people more often.
“There’s more human beings on the landscape. Our population is increasing exponentially,” she said.
Climate change is also a “huge stressor” she said, pointing out that warmer winters affect denning periods.
“If there’s still good food sources, these animals will not go to bed until they are well-fed and ready for it,” she said, noting that it tends to be larger male bears that put off hibernating longer.
How big is B.C.’s grizzly bear population?
B.C. is home to roughly 15,000 of Canada’s 26,000 grizzly bears, according to the non-profit B.C. Wildlife Federation.
There are 55 different grizzly bear populations in B.C., according to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society of B.C., a conservation group. Sixty per cent of them are threatened .
Grizzly populations in southwestern B.C. are all either threatened or extinct, according to the provincial government . The population around Bella Coola is considered healthy, with a relatively dense population.
How can we prevent bear attacks?
Titchener called the basics of bear safety pretty easy.
Don’t feed bears and don’t leave food out. Travel in a group of four or more when hiking in grizzly or other bear territory and wear bells or make noise every few minutes so you don’t startle bears. During berry or salmon spawning season, be alert for bears eating beside rivers or trails. Keep your dog on a leash.
“Dogs off-leash are a huge issue, and we’re seeing more and more cases,” she said.
Most importantly, carry bear spray.
“Bear spray, hands down, is the best deterrent on the planet for stopping a bear from attacking you,” Titchener said.