Indian man killed in rare bear attack in Canada; last fatal incident reported 6 years ago

A 27-year-old man from India has died after being attacked by a black bear at a uranium exploration site in Saskatchewan, Canada. This was counted as an extremely rare fatal incident in the province according to CBC News. The attack happened on Friday evening near Nordbye Lake, where the man had been working on a contract assignment at the Zoo Bay property operated by Vancouver-based UraniumX Discovery Corp. The site is located around 850 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. According to his brother, the man had moved to Canada three years ago and was living in Penticton, British Columbia. His name has not yet been officially released. The attack happened around around 78 kilometres away near Nordbye Lake. In a statement, the company said it assisted workers at the scene after the emergency unfolded. “This event was one of those emergencies when we were called upon for assistance,” the statement said. The company said it provided equipment and supplies to the crew working with the victim. “Our condolences go out to the family and colleagues of the individual who was fatally attacked,” the company wrote. A civilian present at the site shot and killed the bear following the attack. The animal was transported to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon for a necropsy. Investigators are expected to examine the bear’s health, physical condition and other evidence linked to the incident. Douglas Clark, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s School of Environment and Sustainability and a specialist in human-bear conflict, said fatal bear attacks in Saskatchewan are very rare. “This incident is only the fourth in the province’s recorded history,” Clark said. “The last one was six years ago,” Clark said. He added: “And you have to go quite a few years earlier before you find the next ones in the record.” The most recent fatal attack before this took place in 2020, when 44-year-old Stephanie Blais was killed near her family cabin north of Buffalo Narrows. Before that, two men died in separate bear attacks near Nipawin Provincial Park in 1983. Clark warned that conditions this spring in northern Saskatchewan have increased risks for people working outdoors. “It’s a very light spring,” he said. He added: “There’s still a lot of snow on the ground up there. That means any bears coming out of their dens are going to have slimmer pickings than usual.” He explained that with limited food available after hibernation, bears are travelling greater distances in search of food. On the same day as the attack, authorities had issued a public reminder that bears were emerging from hibernation and advised residents and workers to take precautions in wilderness areas. Clark also urged people in bear-prone areas to carry bear spray. “It’s proven effective against all species in North America,” he said.