The BC Conservation Service has released a statement saying that a tree planter working in the Tumbler Ridge area has been airlifted to the hospital after a bear attack.
Conservation Officers have determined that the 21-year-old female seriously injured by a bear yesterday near Tumbler Ridge was the victim of a defensive attack.
She was planting trees in a cutblock area southwest of Bearhole Lake Provincial Park/Protected Area when the incident occurred shortly after 3 pm.
According to Conservation, the bear bluff-charged, then turned away. The victim retreated to a nearby roadway, where the bear attacked. The bear eventually disengaged and ran off. A co-worker came to her aid and called for help.
There were signs of bear in the area, says Conservation, although no bears were seen by the four Conservation Officers who attended the scene. “At this time, Conservation Officers do not have conclusive physical evidence but believe the attack involved a grizzly bear,” says a release by the Conservation service.
The victim was flown to Prince George directly from the cutblock. She remains in hospital in stable condition.
Due to the defensive nature of the attack, and remote proximity of the location, Conservation Officers believe the risk to public safety is low and are not undertaking any trapping efforts.
After only two bear attacks in the Tumbler Ridge area in the past couple decades, this is the second violent incident in less than five years.
In 2019, a solo hiker got between a mother grizzly and her cubs while doing the Monkman Lake Trail.
That person was shaken up but uninjured, as his pack took the brunt of the attack.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
