A man from British Columbia has passed away several weeks after being attacked and seriously injured by a mother grizzly bear in the East Kootenay region of B.C. earlier this month.
Joe Pendry, aged 63, was hunting elk near Fort Steele, situated just northeast of Cranbrook, on October 2 when he encountered the bear along with two cubs.
His wife, Janice Pendry, confirmed on Saturday that he died due to a blood clot.
Joe’s survival from the initial attack was attributed to his background as a boxer and an experienced outdoor hunting guide.
Shortly after the incident, Janice shared with The Canadian Press that her husband shot the bear in the leg as it charged towards him, but the bear persisted and at one point had his head in its jaw.
She mentioned that he resorted to punching and biting the bear’s ear in a fight for survival, sustaining severe injuries such as torn lips and scalp, a lost finger, as well as a broken nose, cheekbones, arms, and ribs.
After managing to fend off the bear, he called 911 and his son for assistance, following which he was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital. There, he underwent multiple surgeries on his face and other injuries.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) conveyed in a Facebook post that a dead grizzly bear found in the vicinity days later was the bear responsible for the attack. Pendry mentioned that she was informed it died due to sepsis.
“The COS retrieved the bear and, through DNA analysis, confirmed its role in the attack,” stated the service in its post.
A High Volume of Grizzly Bear Incidents
The British Columbia Environment Ministry informed CBC News in a statement that evidence from the scene indicated the sow bear had two cubs with her, although their exact ages were unknown.
The ministry highlighted that cubs typically remain with their mother until their fourth year, implying that they might have been old enough to survive independently.