DNA samples confirm grizzly attacked man northwest of Calgary

DNA samples have confirmed the bear that mauled a man last week northwest of Calgary was a grizzly.

Alberta Justice spokespersonBrendan Cox says wildlife officers collected the samples from the man's clothing.

Cox says the bear's behaviour was not defensive, meaning it wasn't provoked,so wildlife officers are trying to trap the grizzly. The bear's fate will be determined after it has been captured.

"Officers and officials in Alberta Environment and Parks will work together to complete their assessment at that time," he said in anemail.

He said the bear could be relocated within its home range or farther away. It would be euthanized if "the other options are determined to be unlikely in mitigating the potential public safety risk."

The 32-year-old man who was mauled last Thursday was scouting in the Panther River area, about 60 kilometres west of Sundre.

Police have said the bear grabbed the man by the legs while he was eating breakfast.

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The Calgary resident was able to get away from the bear, andwalk about 13 kilometres to his vehicle, beforedrivingto a lodge in the areawhere he was taken to Sundre hospital in a private helicopter.

He was later transferred to a Calgary hospital, where he is being treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries to his body, head and face.

Cox said the man was scouting the area before bighorn sheep hunting season started. The area, about 100 kilometres northwest of Calgary,has been closed to the public.

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