A man who was attacked by a bear and survived initially has tragically passed away. Joe Pendry, aged 63, was hunting elk near Fort Steele in British Columbia, Canada, on October 2 when he encountered a bear with her two cubs. Despite initially surviving the attack, Joe later succumbed to a blood clot, as confirmed by his wife Janice.
Following the encounter, Janice recounted how Joe attempted to defend himself by shooting at the bear’s leg as it charged towards him. Despite his efforts, the bear managed to grasp Joe’s head in its jaws. In a desperate struggle, Joe fought back by punching and biting the bear’s ear. The attack left Joe with severe injuries, including the loss of part of his scalp and lips, a missing finger, broken nose and cheekbones, and fractured arms and ribs.
After warding off the bear, Joe called for help and was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries to treat his injuries. The Conservation Officer Service later discovered a dead grizzly bear in the vicinity of the attack, confirming it as the bear responsible for the incident.
According to Pendry, the bear died of sepsis. The Conservation Officer Service released a statement on October 17 confirming the identification of the bear through DNA analysis. They expressed gratitude for the support received during the response efforts and mentioned that the victim was still hospitalized, recovering from the ordeal.
WildSafeBC, a non-profit organization, highlighted that grizzly bear encounters are infrequent but can be fatal, receiving hundreds of related calls annually. The British Columbia Officer Service reported another grizzly bear attack in the McGregor mount area in October, where two hikers sustained serious injuries from a bear accompanied by two cubs.
Individuals navigating bear habitats are advised to remain calm, avoid running, speak calmly while slowly backing away, and stand their ground if a bear charges, using bear spray if necessary.