A 36-year-old woman was killed by a 'very determined' black bear in an unprovoked attack that lasted approximately one hour while she was working at an oil sands site in Alberta, Canada. Lorna Weafer, originally from Ireland but who emigrated to Canada as a child, was employed as an instrument technician for energy firm Suncor when the tragedy occurred on 7 May 2014.
The attack took place at a site north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Weafer was out in the field with six colleagues when she stepped away to use a portable washroom. According to Alberta Fish and Wildlife investigator Mike Ewald, the bear launched itself at her from the trees, striking her from behind and pinning her face down beneath its 300lb frame.
Colleagues' Efforts to Save Her
Weafer's colleagues immediately responded to her screams and attempted to drive the bear away using fire extinguishers, a water cannon, and an air horn. Despite these efforts, Ewald noted that the bear would retreat briefly but always returned. 'This bear was very determined,' he said. The ordeal lasted about an hour before the bear killed Weafer.
The team had received a briefing on bear safety earlier that day, but none of them were carrying bear spray. There was no food on site or anything else that might have attracted the bear, leading investigators to conclude the attack was predatory.
Investigation and Aftermath
When Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers arrived, they shot and killed an adult black bear found in the vicinity. Subsequent DNA analysis and witness interviews confirmed that this was the same bear responsible for the attack. A second bear was caught in a trap but was later released.
Ewald described predatory attacks as 'quite rare in Alberta.' The last fatal black bear mauling in the province before Weafer's death occurred in 1991, when a 12-year-old boy was killed at a campground in Slave Lake. In August 2021, a 26-year-old tree-planting worker was mauled and killed in a remote area northwest of Swan Hills, Alberta.
Family Remembers Lorna Weafer
In a statement, Weafer's family described her as a 'warm, conscientious person' who 'loved her family and her dog.' She had volunteered as a Big Sister and was passionate about photography. The family noted that she had been planning to return to study psychology because 'she loved helping people.'
The family also thanked her colleagues for their courageous efforts to rescue her. The Weafer family moved to Fort McMurray in 1981, though some relatives still live in Ireland.
A 200-square-metre perimeter around the scene was cordoned off, and numerous live bear traps were placed in the area as part of the investigation.
