Two polar bears killed a worker at a remote site in Canada’s northernmost territory, according to the logistics company the employee was working for.
Nasittuq Corporation, which provides technical site services and facility management in Canada, said employees immediately responded to the location where the attack occurred on Brevoort Island, Nunavut. One of the bears was put down, the company said.
The deadly attack, which is extremely rare behavior for polar bears, is under investigation, and Nasittuq said it is withholding the identity of the deceased employee out of respect for the privacy of the family.
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“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues affected by this loss,” the company said in a statement, adding that they are assisting the worker’s family and counseling services are being offered to affected employees.
According to Polar Bears International, a nonprofit advocacy group, attacks involving the Arctic animal happen only one to three times a year. However, the chance for encounters is increasing as polar bears are being driven inland due to sea ice melting.
A 2017 report on polar boar attack trends published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin found most attacks are predatory and involve a single polar bear of subadult age.
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