A young grizzly bear named Fitz from the Calgary Zoo briefly left his designated area, according to a spokesperson from the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo. The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Emergency protocols were promptly activated, involving the zoo’s animal care and security teams in collaboration with the Calgary Police Service.
Fitz was safely immobilized and relocated back to his designated space without any harm to visitors, staff, volunteers, or other animals, as confirmed by communications manager Cindy Antonello. The incident took place before the zoo opened to the public, leading to a temporary closure of the Wild Canada section where the bears reside. The area was reopened later in the day after a thorough assessment by the zoo teams.
Antonello mentioned that a post-incident review will be conducted to understand the circumstances better. Staff Sergeant John Guigon of the Calgary Police Service assured that the public was not at risk during the incident. He explained that Fitz roamed around the zoo, sat down, and was tranquilized by zoo staff with no further incident.
Fitz and his sibling Turner arrived at the zoo as cubs last autumn after their mother was fatally shot by a hunter in self-defense near Diamond Valley, located southwest of Calgary. The zoo has had a history with bears, including polar bears, and has committed to adhering to new standards with the introduction of its latest occupants.