Polar bears don’t usually live in densely populated areas, but along with grizzly bears, they make up some of the most dangerous bear species in the world. And while attacks are rare, an employee at an arctic radar station in a remote corner of Canada was attacked and killed by two polar bears in a tragic incident earlier this month.
The attack occurred on Aug. 9 at the BAF-3 radar station on Brevoort Island in Nunavut, owned by Nasittuq Corporation, a provider of technical field services and facilities management solutions. The base is part of the North Warning System for the United States and Canada, operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
“It is with deep sorrow that Nasittuq Corporation confirms that a tragic incident occurred yesterday at one of our workplaces on Brevoort Island in Nunavut,” the company said in a press release. “The attack by two polar bears resulted in the loss of one of our valued employees.” The statement added that employees responded to the scene and one of the animals was put to sleep.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues affected by this loss,” the statement said, adding that Nasittuq was providing support to the family of the deceased and providing counseling services to affected employees.
The company also said it is working closely with local authorities and regulators to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. “We must show respect to the family in this tragic situation and [investigators] and the authorities are doing their job,” Nasittuq chairman Chris Webb told local media Nunatsiaq News exit.
Polar bears are listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with an estimated global population of 22,000 to 31,000 animals. One of the biggest threats to their numbers is climate change, which is causing a decrease in the sea ice that the bears rely on for hunting. The deterioration of sea ice also forces the animals to spend more time on land, increasing the potential for conflict with humans.
This is the second fatal polar bear attack reported since early last year. In January 2023, a 24-year-old woman and her one-year-old son were mauled to death in the remote village of Wales in Northwest Alaska in the state’s first fatal polar bear encounter in more than 30 years. The attack occurred just outside the entrance to a school building where the polar bear attempted to breach before being shot and killed by a local resident.