A woman was airlifted to hospital after a bear attack near Whistler on Friday, and the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said a bear has been killed in response. In a social media post Saturday, the BCCOS said the woman was hiking with a group near Conflict Lake, west of Whistler in the Callaghan Valley, when they encountered a pair of bears. One of the bears then attacked the woman, but it eventually disengaged. Police, Squamish Search and Rescue, and conservation officers were called to the scene and arrived by helicopter. Conservation officers said the woman was attended to by responding staff and then airlifted to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The BCCOS said it found and killed an adult male black bear in the area “due to safety concerns,” but added officers were unable to confirm whether a black bear or grizzly bear attacked the woman. “Conservation officers are returning to the site today to continue their investigation,” the BCCOS said, in the post. In the meantime, conservation officers and B.C. Parks have closed trail access in the Conflict Lake area and asked those who may be nearby to keep their distance.
