Grizzly bear attack hospitalizes Northern B.C. hunter
Conservation officers are combing through the eastern slopes of Butler Ridge Provincial Park in northern B.C., after a grizzly bear attacked a hunter over the weekend.
Ed Basha, 60, from Hudson's Hope, B.C., was hunting alone near the northern part of the park on Saturday when he says he was attacked by the bear.
He suffered injuries to his face and his upper and lower body, but he was able to walk to his car and drive to get help.
According to unconfirmed reports, he then drove to the nearest home, where a woman then took him to a nearby oil and gas camp.
A medic at the camp was able to keep him stable until he was airlifted to a hospital in Fort St. John, B.C. He was then transferred to an Edmonton hospital where he remains in stable condition.
Conservation officer Brad Lacey said they have not been able to locate the bear or the exact location of the attack.
"That's been the biggest hurdle," he said. "He was alone, no one had witnessed it, nobody was with him at the time. Being able to locate that spot of the attack has been problematic."
Conservation officers plan to interview the man to learn more about the attack. According to the B.C. Parks website, the Conservation Officer Service has sent a predator attack team to the park and is requesting people to stay clear of the area until the investigation is complete.
Lacey said bear encounters are more common this time of the year as the animals search for food in preparation for winter.
Butler Ridge Provincial Park is located in the Peace River Regional District near Hudson's Hope.
source: Grizzly bear attack hospitalizes Northern B.C. hunter - British Columbia - CBC News
Conservation officers are combing through the eastern slopes of Butler Ridge Provincial Park in northern B.C., after a grizzly bear attacked a hunter over the weekend.
Ed Basha, 60, from Hudson's Hope, B.C., was hunting alone near the northern part of the park on Saturday when he says he was attacked by the bear.
He suffered injuries to his face and his upper and lower body, but he was able to walk to his car and drive to get help.
According to unconfirmed reports, he then drove to the nearest home, where a woman then took him to a nearby oil and gas camp.
A medic at the camp was able to keep him stable until he was airlifted to a hospital in Fort St. John, B.C. He was then transferred to an Edmonton hospital where he remains in stable condition.
Conservation officer Brad Lacey said they have not been able to locate the bear or the exact location of the attack.
"That's been the biggest hurdle," he said. "He was alone, no one had witnessed it, nobody was with him at the time. Being able to locate that spot of the attack has been problematic."
Conservation officers plan to interview the man to learn more about the attack. According to the B.C. Parks website, the Conservation Officer Service has sent a predator attack team to the park and is requesting people to stay clear of the area until the investigation is complete.
Lacey said bear encounters are more common this time of the year as the animals search for food in preparation for winter.
Butler Ridge Provincial Park is located in the Peace River Regional District near Hudson's Hope.
source: Grizzly bear attack hospitalizes Northern B.C. hunter - British Columbia - CBC News
