A man from British Columbia passed away several weeks after being attacked and severely injured by a mother grizzly bear in the East Kootenay region of B.C. Joe Pendry, aged 63, was hunting elk near Fort Steele, northeast of Cranbrook, on October 2 when he encountered the bear and her two cubs. His wife, Janice Pendry, confirmed on Saturday that he died due to a blood clot.
Despite the initial attack, Joe’s survival was attributed to his background as a boxer and an experienced outdoor hunting guide. Janice Pendry recounted that during the attack, her husband shot the bear in the leg, but it continued to charge at him, with its jaws around his head at one point. In a fight for his life, Joe punched and bit the bear’s ear, sustaining severe injuries such as torn lips and scalp, the loss of a finger, a broken nose, cheekbones, arms, and ribs.
After managing to fend off the bear, Joe called 911 and his son for help. He was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries on his face and other injuries. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service later confirmed that a dead grizzly found in the area days after the attack was responsible for the incident, with reports indicating it died of sepsis.
The B.C. Environment Ministry informed CBC News that the sow bear had two cubs with her, but their exact ages were unknown. Typically, bear cubs stay with their mother until their fourth summer, suggesting that they might have been old enough to survive on their own.
WildSafeBC reports that the B.C. Conservation Officer Service receives around 400 to 500 calls each year related to grizzly bears. While grizzly bear attacks are rare, they can sometimes result in fatalities. WildSafeBC offers guidance on how to prevent bear encounters on its website.
