An injured grizzly bear that approached a hiker and bluff-charged a vehicle in Kananaskis Country is now being left alone.
Officials with Alberta Fish and Wildlife say traps intended to capture the injured bear have been removed and a large area closure in the Sibbald Flats region has been downgraded to a warning because the bear has not been seen since April 24.
They say Fish and Wildlife officers are conducting regular patrols of the area.
“The bear hasn’t been seen and hasn’t caused any further issues, so the public safety risks are decreased as a result of that,” said spokesman Brendan Cox.
“If there are any further sightings officers will assess the situation further and, if there are any further incidents, officers will respond appropriately.”
On April 22, the grizzly persistently approached a hiker east of the intersection of Highway 68 and Powderface Trail, only backing off when the hiker sounded an air horn several times.
The same bear is also believed responsible for bluff charging a vehicle along the same stretch of highway not long after the encounter with the hiker. It was thought the bear’s behaviour might have been aggravated by an injury to its right rear leg.
Any sightings of the injured bear can be reported to 1-800-642-3800.
