Man injured in grizzly attack on rural property in B.C. Interior

(File)

Conservation officers were called to a rural property in the B.C. Interior this week after a man was attacked by a grizzly bear on his own property.

The victim was walking his two dogs off-leash at his farm in Vanderhoof when the grizzly attacked Monday evening, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.

“He was able to scramble under a barbed wire fence and the bear disengaged and ran off,” the BCCOS said in a social media post. “The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries to his leg and received medical treatment in hospital.”

Officers did not find the grizzly while searching the area, but placed trail cameras nearby to monitor for bear activity.

After speaking with the victim and assessing evidence at the scene, officers determined the attack was defensive and that there’s “no continued threat to public safety,” the BCCOS said.

Conservation officers received 559 calls related to grizzly bears across the province last year, and responded to 131 of those.

Officers had to kill 27 grizzlies, most for public safety reasons. Three of the animals were euthanized for humane reasons, such as a critical injury they were already suffering.

Bear sightings or conflicts can be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters line at 1-877-952-7277.