Parks Officials have closed off a large portion of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis Country following a bear attack Saturday, August 25, that left two people injured.

The pair, a mother and son from Calgary, surprised a bear guarding a moose carcass in dense bush in the French Creek area.

The bear attacked the man, biting his face, hands and arms, while his mom pulled out a can of bear spray.

Before she could pull the trigger on the bear though, she fumbled with the can, dropping it, but quickly picked it up, however as she was about to spray it, the bear bit her hand popping a hole in the can, taking a big load of pepper spray to the face, forcing him to run off and allowing the two to escape with relatively minor injuries.

The two made their way to the Canmore hospital where they were treated and released.

Officials have closed the southern portion of the Spray Valley between Mount Shark Road and Black Prince until further notice.

A warning has also been put in place by Parks Canada in Banff National Park in an area abutting Kananaskis, including the Upper Spray Valley from junction of Upper Spray Trail and Bryant Creek Trail to the Palliser Pass.

 

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