A man from British Columbia passed away several weeks after being severely injured by a mother grizzly bear in the East Kootenay region. Joe Pendry, aged 63, was elk hunting near Fort Steele, located northeast of Cranbrook, on October 2 when he encountered the bear and her two cubs. His wife, Janice Pendry, confirmed his death was due to a blood clot.
Despite the brutal attack, Joe survived initially, attributed to his background as a boxer and outdoor hunting guide. Janice Pendry recounted how her husband bravely fought off the bear, which had attacked him, sustaining devastating injuries including partial scalp and lip removal, loss of a finger, and multiple fractures.
Following the incident, Joe managed to call for help and was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital, where he underwent extensive surgeries on his face and other injuries. The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service later discovered a deceased grizzly bear in the area, confirming it was the bear responsible for the attack.
The B.C. Environment Ministry informed CBC News that the sow bear had two cubs with her during the attack, although their exact ages were unknown. Typically, cubs stay with their mother until their fourth summer, indicating they might have been old enough to survive independently.
WildSafeBC reported that the Conservation Officer Service receives hundreds of grizzly bear-related calls annually. While grizzly bear encounters are rare, they can be dangerous, and the organization offers advice on minimizing such interactions.