Bear Attack: Alberta Man Could Hear Bear's Teeth 'Scraping Against His Skull'
By Afouda Bamidele on November 13, 2023 at 10:15 AM EST
In the heart of Alberta's wilderness, an unsuspecting adventurer's brush with a bear took a terrifying turn.
Jeremy Evans recounts the chilling moments when a bear encounter turned into a life-or-death situation. Like Evans' encounter, other stories of bear attacks have also made the rounds, echoing in the wilderness of Aspen, Colorado, and the vast expanse of Banff National Park.
Alberta Man's Harrowing Tale Of Bear Attack Survival
Seeking a ram with horns, the maintenance supervisor faced a different adversary on the fateful day of August 24, 2017. The life-altering encounter that nearly cost him his life was turned into a memoir titled "Mauled: Lessons Learned from a Grizzly Bear Attack."
The book went beyond the physical details of the incident and shed light on the mental and emotional journey of recovery. Suffering from severe PTSD, the father emphasized the importance of prioritizing family and breaking the stigma surrounding seeking psychiatric help.
As the chilling account unfolds, Evans described the heart-stopping moment when he realized a grizzly bear cub was not the ram he anticipated. In a desperate attempt to scare away the cub's mother, he threw his bicycle, which caused the bear to charge at him in fury.
Evans, in a fight for his life, leaped into a tree; however, the bear's relentless pursuit left him with life-threatening injuries, including a horrifying bite to the face and head. Recalling the horrific moment, he stated:
"I heard the sound of ice breaking - the sound I was hearing was her teeth scraping against my skull and just crunching down on it. I was in a bad spot, totally screwed."
His valiant efforts to defend himself included sticking his fingers in the bear's eyes and down its throat. Despite enduring the unimaginable, Evans' resilience prevailed.
In sheer determination, he left a message for his wife and daughter, convinced he would not survive. Fortunately, his journey continued as he reached his truck and drove to a lodge for help after reportedly crawling for six hours through the wilderness per UNILAD.
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Bear Attacks Leaves A Trail Of Tragedy In Aspen And Banff
Last month, an animal-related incident at St. Regis Aspen Resort painted a vivid picture of the dangerous encounters humans can have with wildlife. A security guard faced the fury of the bear that broke into the resort, leading to a gruesome attack in the kitchen.
Rushed to the emergency room, the guard endured scratches on his back but managed to escape the clutches of the ferocious bear. The bear gained access to the building through doors near the courtyard, as explained by CPW.
Following the attack, Wildlife officers arrived to locate the bear near the hotel, but capturing it proved challenging due to concerns for public safety. Colorado Parks and Wildlife then urged residents to stay vigilant during that particular season, emphasizing the heightened risk of wildlife encounters.
This incident brings to remembrance a similar tragic event in Banff National Park, where a grizzly bear claimed the lives of a couple and their dog. Although the couple alerted Parks Canada about the bear attack, the trained rescue faced unfortunate delays due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Trained response teams had to travel by land, reaching the scene only to discover the grim aftermath. According to the external relations manager for the Banff field unit, Natalie Fay, the squad had to travel the long way because "Weather conditions did not allow for helicopter user."
The grizzly bear responsible for the attack was promptly euthanized for public safety. As the bodies of the victims were moved for further investigations, Parks Canada expressed sincere condolences to their families and friends, acknowledging the tragic nature of the incident.
In the aftermath of the attack, a wave of controversy erupted surrounding the euthanization of the grizzly bear. Social media users disagreed over the creature's fate in defending its natural habitat.
One critic questioned the presence of humans in the bear's home, stating, "If the humans had not been there in the first place….in the bear's home. Now the two people are dead, and the bear. What a waste."
Expressing concern for the declining bear population in Alberta, someone else subtly defended the bear's actions by emphasizing the imbalance between the number of grizzlies and the human population.
Another cybernaut echoed the sentiment, stating, "I hate they killed the bear when it's humans who encroach on their homes! There are few grizzlies around but over 8 billion people.!"