Grizzly bear entered Claudia Huber’s house before fatal attack
The grizzly bear that killed Claudia Huber on the weekend came into her house through a window, then pursued Huber and her spouse when they ran outside, says Yukon’s coroner.
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In a news release, Kirsten Macdonald says a male bear came onto the rural property around 11 a.m. Saturday, alerting the family dog.
Huber’s spouse, Matthias Liniger, went outside to calm the dog, saw the bear approaching and went back inside to get his rifle.
The bear then went inside through a window.
“Huber and her spouse ran outside the home, at which time the bear pursued them,” the release says. “Huber suffered serious injuries, the full extent of which will be revealed through an autopsy.”
Liniger shot and killed the bear and drove Huber to the health centre in Teslin, about 50 kilometres away.
Huber, 42, was pronounced dead just after noon.
An autopsy will be performed this week.
A necropsy on the bear has already been completed.
Bear attacks 'very rare:' Conservation officer
Grizzly bear attacks are not common in Yukon.
"It's very rare," says conservation officer Ryan Hennings, who's also manager of enforcement and compliance with Yukon's Environment department.
"It's even more rare to have it occur in a residence where people live."
Hennings says they're still trying to determine what led to the event.
"I know from our site preliminary investigation that we saw no attractants at the house we would commonly see that may invite wildlife or bears to a property. We didn't even see a barbecue on the deck," Hennings says.
"These property owners were very good at managing their attractants."
Hennings says the grizzly was old, of large stature and underweight at about 170 kilograms, but not starving.
The bear had no tag or collar.
The Yukon Coroner's Service, Yukon Department of Environment, Teslin and Whitehorse RCMP, Yukon Major Crimes and Forensic Identification Units are all investigating.
