BC man dies weeks after saving himself from the jaws of a grizzly bear
A BC man has died, weeks after a female bear attacked and seriously injured him in BC’s East Kootenay region earlier this month.
Joe Pendry, 63, was hunting elk near Fort Steele, northeast of Cranbrook, on October 2 when he encountered the bear and two cubs.
His wife, Janice Pendry, confirmed Saturday that he died of a blood clot.
Joe’s rare survival from the initial attack was based on his experience as a boxer and outdoor hunting guide.
radio west16:13Kootenay man’s incredible survival story after being attacked by grizzly bear
Joe Pendry was hunting elk near Fort Steele when he came across a grizzly bear and her two large cubs
Speaking to The Canadian Press shortly after the attack, Janice said her husband shot the bear in the leg, but it kept coming, and at one point its head was in its jaws.
She said she punched the animal and even bit its ear as it struggled for its life, suffering gruesome injuries including having her lip and part of her skull torn off, losing a finger and having a broken nose, broken cheek bones, two broken arms and broken ribs.
He was eventually able to save the animal, called 911 and his son for help, and was taken to Kelowna General Hospital, where he had to undergo multiple surgeries on his face and other parts of his body.
BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) said in a facebook post Pendry said he was told that a dead grizzly found in the area a few days later that died of sepsis was responsible for the attack.
“COS recovered the bear and were able to confirm through DNA analysis that it was the bear involved in the attack,” the service wrote in its post.
hundreds of grizzly bear calls
BC’s Environment Ministry told CBC News in a statement that information from the scene indicated the boar was accompanied by two cubs, but their ages were unknown.
The ministry said cubs typically stay with their mothers until their fourth summer, so it’s possible they are old enough to survive alone.
According to WildSafeBC, COS receives approximately 400 to 500 calls per year regarding grizzly bears.
non-profit says on its website Grizzly bear attacks are uncommon but can sometimes be fatal.
site also provides tips How to avoid encounters with bears.
