'Turned the tables': Mountain goat fatally wounds attacking grizzly bear in Yoho National Park
An adult grizzly bear is dead and a necropsy determined her fatal wounds occurred when she attempted to attack a mountain goat in a national park in British Columbia.
The carcass of the bear, that had not been dead for very long, was located near the top of the pass of a popular trail in Yoho National Park on Sept. 4
"Parks Canada received a report from a hiker of a deceased grizzly bear near Burgess Pass and we responded and we flew in there and removed the carcass of a female grizzly bear," explained David Laskin, a wildlife ecologist with the Parks Canada Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay field unit. "This was necessary to prevent the carcass from attracting wildlife that may have posed a risk to other visitors, because it was the beginning of the long weekend.
"That particular bear was unknown to Parks Canada (meaning the bear had not been previously handled or captured and marked with an ear tag or temporary GPS collar), and we didn't know the cause of death immediately so we did a frantic necropsy to determine this."
The carcass of the roughly 70-kilogram bear — considered to be slightly smaller than average but a relatively normal size for a bear in the region — was transported to Calgary where a forensic examination was conducted in conjunction with the University of Calgary.
"The necropsy determined that the female grizzly bear died of natural causes of which we found were due to an unsuccessful predation attempt on a mountain goat.
"I guess the mountain goat was successful in this case and it ultimately turned the tables on the bear."
The bear had wounds to both of its armpits and the side of the neck which, according to Laskin, are consistent with the predatory attack behaviour of grizzly bears and the defensive response of mountain goats utilizing their sharp horns.
"When grizzly bears attack they tend to focus on the head, the back of the neck and the shoulders of the prey," he said.
The severity of the injuries to the mountain goat has not been confirmed but no goat carcasses were located when the bear was retrieved.
Laskin says there have been few reports of grizzly bears being injured by mountain goats and this was the first time he and his colleagues had ever witnessed the aftermath of a goat besting a bear.
"Grizzly bears preying on mountain goats is actually quite common, but instances of goats fatally wounding a grizzly bear are exceedingly rare," said Laskin, before adding that goats are not easy prey. "Mountain goats are strong animals and they're well equipped to defend themselves."
The grizzly bear population in the Yoho/Kootenay area is estimated to be between 25 and 30 strong, given the fact the animals frequently cross provincial and national park boundaries.
"Grizzlies are omnivorous and the majority of their diet is vegetation. This year we had a poor berry crop and that is typically the caloric event of the season. They often move to different food types, they'll dig roots and look for ungulates to prey on."
Anyone who encounters a carcass in a national park is encouraged to leave the area immediately and to report the location to Parks Canada as the carcasses may attract carnivores and other wildlife that may act aggressively to protect a potential food source.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.