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Grizzly bear responsible for fatal attack captured by Fish and Wildlife, will be euthanized

Last Updated May 30, 2021 at 11:49 pm MDT

CALGARY (660 NEWS) — A grizzly bear responsible for killing a woman near Water Valley, Alta., last week has been captured by Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

The bear was to be euthanized later Sunday.

“This decision is never made lightly, and when it is made, it is to prevent more attacks by that particular bear,” Alberta Fish and Wildlife said in a Facebook post.

The group says they captured two large female grizzly bears on Saturday near the area of the attack. DNA samples confirmed one of those two bears was responsible for the woman’s death.

“The second bear will be released at a to-be-determined location. All traps will be removed from the area,” continued the post.

The attack occurred when the woman went for an evening stroll around her property near Water Valley, about 80 kilometres northwest of Calgary. Her body was found partly buried, initially causing wildlife officers to fear the attack was predatory.

That wasn’t the case, said bear specialist Paul Frame. “It’s the same as what we generally see with a defensive attack.”

It was the second fatal grizzly attack in Alberta this month.

The first one happened May 4, about 25 kilometres away, when a man was out for a run. The victim was identified as 59-year-old University of Calgary professor, David Lertzman.

DNA results confirmed that different grizzly bears were behind the two attacks.

Bear attacks are infrequent in Alberta, rarely totalling more than one a year, although there were three in 2005.

Frame says recent studies have shown grizzly numbers have begun to rebound and that human-bear encounters have become more likely to happen.

He urges anyone travelling or camping in bear country to go in a group, make noise and keep a clean campsite.

Fish and Wildlife echoed the warnings to the public.

“Due to the unusually large number of bears still in the area, residents are urged to observe bear safety rules and guidelines,” said Fish and Wildlife. “Doing so will help keep everyone safe by avoiding human wildlife conflict and prevent a similar tragedy from occurring.”

with files from The Canadian Press