Despite two recent bear attacks in Northern Alberta, experts say such attacks are rare and the animals usually provide warnings before they go on the offensive.
The first attack, on May 7, left one woman dead, and the most recent on Friday left a young man injured and shaken.
Lorna Weafer, a 36-year-old Suncor employee, was mauled and killed at an oilsands site near Fort McMurray earlier this month. Her co-workers tried to scare the bear off.
On Friday, 22-year-old Justin Gambler was attacked by a black bear near Calling Lake, Alta. Gambler managed to escape after he kicked the bear’s nose and ran to safety, however he received 27 stitches across his face for the injuries he sustained during the attack.
Bear expert Mike McIntosh, who runs a black bear sanctuary and rehabilitation centre, said attacks like these are rare, and the odds of them occurring are around two in one million.
“Bears usually run,” he said. “Almost always if they can. You’re facing a bigger threat from almost any animal in the bush, than a bear.
“However, these two cases here will obviously have people alarmed and I can understand that."
Black bears will often provide warning signals, alerting humans to a potential attack. Bears will often make huffing noises or mock charges if they feel threatened.
Carrying bear spray or a noisemaker in an area that could be populated with the species is another crucial defence mechanism, experts suggest.
Over the last 100 years, there have been 65 bear-related deaths in North America.
Having emerged from winter dens, black bears are frequently spotted at this time of year.
A black bear’s spring diet consists of leaf buds and grass. According to experts, there isn’t a food shortage right now, making the cause of the two recent bear attacks a mystery.
However, according to Alberta’s Environment and Sustainable Resource Development department, a black bear’s constant need to eat may override the bear’s innate fear of humans.
