A young grizzly bear named Fitz at the Calgary Zoo briefly wandered outside his exhibit early one morning, according to a spokesperson from the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo. The incident occurred before public opening hours, and emergency protocols were promptly enacted. The zoo’s animal care and security teams, along with assistance from the Calgary Police Service, swiftly handled the situation. Fitz was safely tranquilized and relocated back to his designated area without any harm to visitors, staff, or animals.
Following the incident, the Wild Canada section, where the bears are housed, was temporarily closed for assessment before reopening later in the day. The zoo’s communication manager mentioned that a thorough review of the event would be conducted as part of standard post-incident procedures. No further details were disclosed at that time.
Staff Sgt. John Guigon of the Calgary Police Service assured that there was no risk to the public during the bear’s escapade. The bear roamed around the zoo before calmly sitting down and being sedated by zoo personnel. While police officers were on standby, the zoo managed the situation effectively. Guigon emphasized that despite initial concerns due to the bear’s species, it appeared that Fitz was merely exploring and not posing a threat.
Fitz and his sibling Turner arrived at the zoo as orphans last autumn after their mother was tragically killed in a hunting incident near Diamond Valley, located southwest of Calgary. The two bear brothers have since become a part of the zoo’s Wild Canada exhibit.
The Calgary Zoo has had a history with bears, including polar bears, and has worked to implement new safety measures and standards in caring for these animals.
A link to the original article can be found [here](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/grizzly-bear-escapes-enclosure-at-calgary-zoo-9.7309309).