An apparent bear attack last night (Sept. 4) has forced a barricade set up at a Prince George park.
The temporary closure is in effect for Ferguson Lake Park in the city’s northeast corner and could remain in place for one to two days as B.C. Conservation Officers are investigating the area.
Warning signs along the park trails have been set up in addition to the main barricade at the park’s entrance to ensure visitors are aware of the situation.
In an earlier interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters, Alana Bull said she heard someone yelling from Ferguson Lake before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, but didn’t have binoculars on hand to get a closer look.
"We didn't but we looked and saw the man in the lake with the bear pursuing him," she says. "He [the bear] was probably only six to 10 feet away from him at that point. [...] I had my dog with me. He's a big husky shepherd, a hundred-something pounds. He hates bears and he's gone after them before so I knew he'd be good."
She said she ran as fast as she could with her dog Musket down a trail and got to the other side of the lake as fast as they could, hoping they could get closer to the man and have the dog distract the bear.
"He [Musket] did that," Bull added. "As soon as we got close, he picked up the scent and started barking."
The bear started going back and forth, eventually swimming back to the shore and leaving the man alone.
Bull described the man as shaken up after the situation and did suffer some wounds including paw marks and puncture wounds on his left shoulder where the bear had attacked him and tried to push him under the water.
He also sustained some scratches on his hips and legs.
A Prince George city release asks residents to follow all the closure signage at Ferguson Lake Park until its been lifted and to avoid potential conflicts with bears by leashing their pets.
- with files from Jessica Fedigan, Prince George Matters
The City of Prince George is closing Ferguson Lake Park effective immediately following a reported incident involving a park visitor and a black bear at that location last night. - https://t.co/OY28hlIyqj pic.twitter.com/JGxBliKBho
— Prince George, BC (@CityofPG) September 5, 2019
