SOURCE: CBC
Conservation officers are trying to determine if a woman found dead on a ski hill in eastern British Columbia on Sunday was killed by a bear.
A woman was found dead on a trail near the Panorama Ski Resort, close to the B.C.-Alberta boundary.
The RCMP shot a black bear found next to the 34-year-old woman’s body on a trail near the Panorama Ski Resort, close to the B.C.-Alberta boundary.
The woman was on a mountain bike trip and had been reported missing on Saturday night.
Paul Visentin, a conservation officer with the B.C. Ministry of Environment, said they are still investigating if it was a bear attack.
Conservation officer Paul Visentin says a pathologist will complete a report in the next few days on the cause of the woman’s death.
“Whether or not the bear at this point had caused death to that lady, I don’t know. We are in the process of investigating that,” Visentin said.
“We have conservation officers who’re going to be on site today and tomorrow to try to determine that, along with a pathologist who is going to give his report in the next few days.”
Also Sunday, two cyclists in Banff National Park escaped with minor injuries after being charged by a grizzly bear protecting her cubs.
The riders noticed the cubs on the trail near Lake Minnewanka, but before they could react, the mother bear gave chase, but didn’t make contact with the cyclists.
Banff National Park staff have closed down the trail.
Banff conservation officer Dave Hanna said there haven’t been many problems with bears this year because the berries haven’t come out yet.
