BC Conservation Officer Service says man bitten and scratched by grizzly bear

The BC Conservation Officer Service says a grizzly bear that scratched and bit a man in a remote location on Friday will not be captured because the attack was “defensive.”

The service says in a social media post that the man’s injuries were non-life-threatening, and the attack happened in a “remote, fly-in location” about 110 kilometres west of Fort Nelson.

It says the man was part of a group that was working in the area and he was charged by the bear after noticing it with two cubs.

The service says he was bitten and scratched before the bear left, and other members of his group assisted him, and he was flown to a hospital for treatment.

The Conservation Officer Service says the victim was released and the rest of the group got out of the area safely.

Conservation Officers say they interviewed the man and a witness, deeming the attack was in a remote location and “defensive in nature,” and the service will therefore not try to capture or kill the animal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2025.

The Canadian Press