Alberta Fish and Wildlife investigate possibility that same bear was responsible for two deadly attacks
Posted May 27, 2021 5:58 pm.
CALGARY — Alberta Fish and Wildlife has confirmed it is investigating the possibility that the same bear is responsible for two deadly attacks on hikers west of Calgary over the last month.
In the most recent incident, mounties were called about an attack on private land near Water Valley, just off Highway 22, around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night.
Officials had said the person had gone for a walk on their property and was later found dead on one of the trails.
RELATED: Bear attack believed to be behind death near Water Valley
Traps have been set out in an attempt to catch the bear involved.
Previously, on May 4, University of Calgary professor David Lertzman had gone out to the Waiparous Creek area, west of Calgary, and his body was later found off Moss Trail.
In that incident, Alberta Fish and Wildlife closed off a large area of the Waiparous Village Trail System in an effort to locate the bear.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers have now sent in DNA samples from both incidents to see if the same bear was responsible.
“All the DNA samples from this incident, most recently in Water Valley, (have been sent) to the lab, our forensic lab in Edmonton,” he said. “That forensic team will be able to compare if they have viable samples from this incident to the profile that was already built from the offending bear in the Waiparous incident.”
But, Juno does day there is an indication it was not the same bear — as the bear near Water Valley was with her cub — and heading to Waiparous would be a long journey for a cub to make.
It is believed the pair are still in the Water Valley area following Tuesday’s attack.
Juno adds if you happen to encounter them, take extreme caution.
“Seek safety and back away and be very vigilant and aware, and I just want to mention that by yourself is not recommended, ever.”
