A woman used bear spray to save her husband’s life during a grizzly bear attack on a trail in British Columbia, Canada, according to the province’s Conservation Officer Service.
The couple was e-biking along the Kootenay River on Saturday when they encountered two grizzly bears. The woman heard her husband scream and saw a grizzly bear running at her. She used bear spray, then noticed a second grizzly bear attacking her husband. She used the spray again, and both bears fled.
The man suffered significant injuries and was taken to hospital for surgery. Officials swept the area twice but found no bears. Three major trails were closed and traps set.
In a follow-up, the Conservation Officer Service said the attack was defensive in nature, as the couple likely startled the bears in a surprise encounter on a corner of the trail bordered by thick brush. No evidence of stalking or hunting was found, so the bears were not captured or killed. Trails remained closed as a precaution.
Inspector Dave Webster praised the couple, saying they were well-prepared, had bear spray readily accessible, and knew how to use it. He encouraged others recreating in bear country to take similar precautions.
