A man who previously survived a bear attack by having his head in the bear’s jaw has tragically passed away. Joe Pendry, aged 63, was elk hunting near Fort Steele in British Columbia, Canada, when he encountered a bear and her two cubs on October 2. Despite initially surviving the vicious assault, Joe eventually succumbed to a blood clot, as confirmed by his wife Janice on Saturday.
Following the attack, Janice recounted how Joe attempted to fend off the charging bear by shooting at its leg. However, the bear persisted and clamped its teeth around Joe’s head. In a desperate struggle for survival, Joe resorted to punching and biting the bear’s ear. The encounter left Joe with severe injuries, including the loss of his lips and part of his scalp, a missing finger, broken nose, cheekbones, arms, and ribs.
After successfully fighting off the bear, Joe managed to call for help, contacting 911 and his son. He was airlifted to Kelowna General Hospital, where he underwent multiple surgeries to address his facial and bodily injuries, according to reports from CBC.
Authorities from the British Columbia Officer Service reported discovering a deceased grizzly bear near the attack site, confirming it as the one responsible for the incident. The bear was found to have died from sepsis, as stated by Pendry in an October 17 update. Appreciation was expressed to all involved in the emergency response efforts, while Joe continued his recovery in the hospital.
WildSafeBC, a non-profit organization, highlighted the rarity of grizzly bear attacks, noting that while there are hundreds of bear-related calls each year, fatalities are infrequent. The British Columbia Officer Service also mentioned a separate incident in October where two hikers were seriously injured by a grizzly bear with two cubs in the McGregor mount area northeast of Prince George.
Visitors in bear-populated areas are advised on safety protocols when encountering bears, such as remaining calm, speaking softly while slowly backing away, and standing firm while using bear spray if needed in case of a bear charge.
