One of the young grizzly bears at the Calgary Zoo, named Fitz, ventured outside his designated area. The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo spokesperson informed CBC News that the incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. on a Sunday. Following standard protocols, emergency response procedures were activated promptly, stated Cindy Antonello, the communications manager.
In response to the situation, the zoo’s animal care and security teams, along with the Calgary Police Service, acted swiftly. Fitz was safely immobilized and relocated to a secure area behind the scenes by the animal care team, ensuring the safety of all guests, staff, volunteers, and animals, Antonello confirmed.
The occurrence took place before the zoo opened to the public, and the Wild Canada section, where the bears reside, was temporarily closed for assessment before reopening later in the day. Antonello mentioned that a thorough review of the incident would be conducted as part of the post-incident procedures, with no additional details available at the moment.
Calgary Police Service Staff Sgt. John Guigon reassured the public that there was no threat during the incident. He described how Fitz roamed the zoo, eventually being tranquilized by zoo staff without posing any danger to the public. Guigon added that police officers were present at the scene as a precautionary measure while allowing the zoo to handle the situation.
Fitz and his sibling Turner were introduced to the zoo last autumn as orphaned cubs following their mother’s unfortunate demise near Diamond Valley, southwest of Calgary.
