Bear responsible for two deaths in northern Saskatchewan

(Photo source: Government of Saskatchewan)

A bear was responsible for two people’s deaths in McTavish Lake in northern Saskatchewan, according to the Ministry of Community Safety.

In an update Friday, the ministry confirmed the bear has since been located and euthanized. The animal is being transported to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy.

The update comes a day after the ministry announced two people had been found dead following a suspected wildlife incident north of La Ronge.

The ministry says the names of the deceased will not be released while the investigation continues.

La Ronge RCMP initially responded to the incident after receiving a call about a suspected wildlife encounter on July 15.

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While RCMP assisted with the initial investigation, the ministry says the deaths are not considered suspicious. The Saskatchewan Conservation Officer Service and the Coroner’s Service are now leading the investigation.

This is the second fatal bear-related incident in Saskatchewan this year. In May, a 27-year-old man was killed in a bear attack at a uranium exploration site in the Athabasca Basin near the Northwest Territories border.

The man was an independent contractor working at UraniumX Discovery Corp.’s Zoo Bay property.

The black bear involved in that incident was euthanized and taken to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for a necropsy.