A B.C. man has died weeks after a mother grizzly bear attacked and severely injured him in B.C.’s East Kootenay region earlier this month.
Joe Pendry, 63, was hunting elk near Fort Steele, just northeast of Cranbrook, on Oct. 2 when he encountered the bear and two cubs.
His wife, Janice Pendry, confirmed on Saturday that he died of a blood clot.
Joe’s rare survival from the initial attack was chalked up to his experience as a boxer and outdoor hunting guide.
Speaking to The Canadian Press shortly after the attack, Janice said her husband shot the charging bear in the leg but it kept coming, and his head was in its jaw at one point.
She said he punched and even bit the animal’s ear as he fought for his life, suffering gruesome injuries that include his lips and part of his scalp being torn off, losing a finger and a broken nose, broken cheekbones, two broken arms and broken ribs. Â
He was eventually able to fend the animal off, calling 911 and his son for help, and was flown to Kelowna General Hospital, where he had to undergo multiple surgeries to his face and other parts of his body.Â
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) said in a Facebook post that a dead grizzly found in the area days later was responsible for the attack, with Pendry saying she was told it died of sepsis.Â
“The COS recovered the bear and through DNA analysis were able to confirm that this was the bear involved in the attack,” the service wrote in its post.
B.C’s Environment Ministry told CBC News in a statement that information gathered from the scene indicated the sow had two cubs with it, but their ages were unknown.
The ministry said cubs typically stay with their mother until their fourth summer, so it is possible they were old enough to survive on their own.
According to WildSafeBC, the COS receives approximately 400 to 500 calls per year regarding grizzly bears.
The non-profit says on its website that grizzly bear attacks are uncommon but can occasionally be fatal.
The site also provides tips on how to avoid encounters with bears.
