BC man dies weeks after rescuing himself from grizzly bear’s jaws

A BC man has died weeks after a mom bear attacked and significantly injured him in B.C.’s East Kootenay area earlier this month.

Joe Pendry, 63, was looking elk close to Fort Steele, northeast of Cranbrook, on Oct. 2 when he encountered the bear and two cubs.

His spouse, Janice Pendry, confirmed Saturday that he died from a blood clot.

Joe’s uncommon survival of the preliminary assault was attributed to his expertise as a boxer and outside looking information.

Talking to the Canadian Press shortly after the assault, Janice mentioned her husband shot the bear within the leg, however it stored coming ahead and its head obtained caught in its jaw at one level.

She mentioned he punched and even bit the animal’s ear as he fought for his life, struggling horrific accidents that included his lips and a part of his scalp being torn off, the lack of a finger and a damaged nostril, damaged cheekbones, two damaged arms and damaged ribs.

He lastly managed to fend off the animal, calling 911 and his son for assist, and was flown to Kelowna Basic Hospital, the place he needed to bear a number of surgical procedures on his face and different components of his physique.

The BC Conservation Officer Service (COS) mentioned in a Facebook post {that a} lifeless grizzly bear discovered within the space days later was accountable for the assault, with Pendry saying she was informed it died of sepsis.

“COS recovered the bear and thru DNA evaluation was in a position to verify that it was the bear concerned within the assault,” the service wrote in its put up.

A whole lot of grizzly bear calls

BC’s Ministry of the Surroundings informed CBC Information in a press release that data collected on the scene indicated the sow had two cubs, however their ages have been unknown.

The ministry mentioned the cubs sometimes stick with their mom till their fourth summer time, so it is attainable they’re sufficiently old to outlive on their very own.

In keeping with WildSafeBC, the COS receives roughly 400 to 500 calls a yr about grizzly bears.

The nonprofit says on your website that grizzly bear assaults are unusual however can sometimes be deadly.

The web site additionally provides tips on methods to keep away from encounters with bears.