Unhappy information out of Canada this week as Nakoda, a uncommon white grizzly bear, and her two cubs died on account of two separate collisions with transferring automobiles. The 2 accidents occurred simply 12 hours aside on the identical highway, the Trans-Canada Freeway.
Early on Thursday morning, June 6, Parks Canada says it obtained a report {that a} automobile had struck and killed Nakoda’s two cubs. Nakoda or “GB178” was there too, and Parks Canada stated wildlife officers hazed her to encourage her to return behind the wildlife fencing.
That night, wildlife-management employees witnessed a collision between Nakoda and a transferring automobile on the identical freeway. This collision occurred about 12 hours after the one which killed the bear’s two cubs.
Parks Canada says employees members have been there modifying the wildlife fencing in an try and preserve Nakoda away from the highway. Sadly, a practice startled the grizzly and he or she ran onto the freeway. “One automobile was in a position to swerve and keep away from a collision, however a second automobile was unable to react in time and struck the bear,” Parks Canada studies.
The collision didn’t kill Nakoda instantly. Employees noticed the injured bear climbing the fence and retreating into the forest. “Wildlife specialists have been optimistic GB178 might have been in a position to recuperate from the collision, nonetheless sadly, the bear was confirmed deceased by the wildlife administration workforce on Saturday, June eighth after investigating a mortality sign from the bear’s GPS collar,” Parks Canada says.
Inner accidents associated to the collision doubtless triggered the white grizzly’s demise.
A ‘Devastating’ Loss
Parks Canada says: “[GB178’s] demise has been devastating for the workforce that was so deeply invested in making an attempt to stop this end result.”
For the previous two years, the wildlife-management workforce has “spent vital time” managing the bear each time she would enterprise near the freeway. They monitored her each transfer and relocated her away from the Trans-Canada Freeway a number of instances in 2022.
After electrifying the fence in 2023 to discourage Nakoda from climbing over it, Parks Canada says she largely stayed within the backcountry. Nonetheless, this spring, wildlife officers as soon as once more noticed the white grizzly and her cubs close to the freeway.
Sadly, regardless of all of wildlife-management officers’ efforts to maintain them protected, the bear household crossed the highway on the flawed time, twice.
