After a man received severe injuries sustained from a grizzly bear attack in the Madden area on Sunday morning, an aggressive grizzly bear warning was issued for the region late Wednesday, and DNA sampling attained by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services (FWES) determined that the grizzly is the same bear that killed a man in 2021.
On September 1, RCMP received reports of a bear attack in the Madden area, north of Cochrane in Rocky View County (RVC). The bear, a female grizzly with two sub-adult cubs, attacked the man, a hunter, north of the intersection of Range Road 34 and Township Road 274. The attack victim was transported to Calgary’s Foothills Hospital
Alberta Fish and Wildlife is conducting an investigation into the attack. Madden residents have been warned by Fish and Wildlife to stay vigilant as the aggressive grizzly is still on the loose. People are encouraged to exercise caution when outdoors and to carry bear deterrents, like noisemakers and bear spray.
Reports indicate that Alberta Fish and Wildlife determined that the bear involved in the Madden attack is the same animal that was responsible for the 2021 attack that killed 59-year-old David Lertzman, an assistant professor of environmental management and sustainable development at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business.
Lertzman, a former Canmore resident before he and his wife moved to Waiparous Village, a community just north of Rocky View County, was attacked by he grizzly while he was trail running near his home. An avid outdoorsman, Lertzman's wife Sarah confirmed in a Facebook post in 2021 that her husband was attacked from behind by the bear and was pushed off a 300-metre-high embankment.
After the Lertzman attack, law enforcement utilized resources from the Calgary Police Service, including helicopters and a K-9 unit, to track down the grizzly responsible for the attack, but after days of searching the bear was not found. Officials involved in the search did not comment at the time on the potential fate of the bear.
DNA samples obtained by Fish and Wildlife did indeed confirm that the grizzly bear was responsible for both attacks.
In a press release, the Province stated that work is being done to find the bear. The release said that “numerous traps” have been set and a “low-flying aircraft” has been deployed to help find the animal.
Residents are urged to report any sightings of a female grizzly bear with sub-adult bears in the Madden area, specifically between Lochend Road and Highway 22, to the Report-A-Poacher hotline at 1-800-642-3200.
