Parks Canada officials reported on Tuesday that a unique white grizzly bear was killed in a road accident on the Trans-Canada Highway. Sadly, the accident happened just 12 hours after the bear’s two cubs were also hit and killed by a vehicle on the same highway.
During a news conference, Saundi Stevens, a wildlife management specialist, reported that workers witnessed a train passing by the ditch causing a loud screeching noise from the metal wheels, which startled a bear. The bear then ran out of the ditch and onto the road, ultimately crossing paths with two vehicles on the highway.
According to Stevens, one of the vehicles managed to swerve, but unfortunately, the other one collided with the bear. As a result, the officials had to halt the traffic, and the bear, with a noticeable limp, retreated back into the woods.
According to Stevens, the only visible injury was a limp. He remained hopeful that the collision would not cause any other damage and that the victim would be able to fully recover.
According to Stevens, it was quite common for GB 178 to venture out onto the roadside, likely in search of food. Despite the efforts of wildlife specialists to keep the bear away from the area since 2022, GB 178 was adept at finding flaws in the fencing and easily breaking through them.
Steven explained that relocating the bear and her cubs was deemed too risky as they were not on the roadside for extended periods. Therefore, it was not considered as an option.
Wildlife experts received a mortality signal from the GPS tracker of the bear, 24 hours after it was hit by a vehicle. The park authorities confirmed the bear’s death on the following Saturday. The team felt “devastated” at the loss of the bear and her two cubs in such a short span, as per Stevens.
Stevens urged drivers to follow speed limits and drive with caution, emphasizing that the team was committed to preventing such outcomes. “We were deeply invested in this and doing everything we could to avoid it,” he said.
According to Stevens, there have been rumors circulating on social media that GB 178 returned to the highway on Thursday evening to mourn for her cubs before being killed. However, Stevens clarified that bears typically eat their deceased young, and there were no signs of distress from GB 178 after her two cubs were killed.
According to Stevens, the subject of concern didn’t exhibit any signs of distress and was spotted searching for dandelions by the roadside. This behavior was customary for her.
According to Parks Canada, Banff National Park in Alberta and Yoho and Kootenay National Parks in British Columbia are home to around 90 grizzly bears. Despite variations in numbers from year to year, the population is deemed to be stable. Unfortunately, 13 grizzly bears have been killed in these parks from 2019 to the present, with four deaths occurring in the first six months of 2024, which is the highest number recorded thus far.
