A pair of grizzly bears attacked two cyclists on trails within the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area on the evening of July 26, leaving one man with life-threatening injuries.
Creston RCMP, BC Emergency Health Services, and the BC Conservation Officer Service responded to the scene at approximately 4:50 p.m. on Saturday near the bat hut along the park鈥檚 dyke system in Corn Creek Marsh.
Upon arrival, officers found a man and woman who had both been attacked by the bears. The man was transported to hospital with serious injuries, while the woman was able to walk away from the scene on her own.
The bears, believed to be two- to three-year-old juvenile grizzlies known to frequent the area over the last couple years, retreated after the victims used bear spray.
Traps have been set, and conservation officers remain active in the area as a co-ordinated search to locate the bears is ongoing.
鈥淲e are asking the general public to avoid the pathway system for the time being,鈥� said Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk, Creston RCMP Commander.
鈥淲e鈥檇 also like to remind people to exercise caution when making decisions around partaking in recreational activities in areas known to inhabit predatory wildlife and to ensure you鈥檙e educated and prepared for potential encounters. The preparedness in this case by way of ready access and use of bear spray may prove to have been a life-saving measure.
The RCMP also thanked the BC Conservation Officer Service from around the Kootenays for their quick response and continued support throughout this incident.
At this time, the trails around the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre within the Corn Creek Marsh are closed for recreation until further notice.
