Rare white grizzly dies after being hit on Canadian highway

Grizzly bear 178, or Nakoda, as she was called by fans on social media, was shot down in Yogo National Park in Canada, hours after her cubs were hit and killed in another accident, officials said, UNN reports citing The New York Times.

Details

The polar grizzly bear known as Nakoda has been trending on social media since she first made her public appearance near Banff National Park in Canada's Rocky Mountains in 2020. Its frequent appearances on the roads have drawn the attention of visitors who have been fascinated by its rare light fur with a black stripe on its back.

But that fame came at a high price, according to members of Parks Canada's regional wildlife management team who saw a car hit Nakoda on the Trans-Canada Highway in British Columbia's Yogo National Park on June 6. Her death was confirmed on Saturday, according to the team, presumably due to the injuries she sustained.

According to Parks Canada, two of her cubs, born last winter, were hit and killed a few hours earlier on the same highway.

Officials believe that since Nakoda became popular on social media, she has gradually become accustomed to people, which has led to her becoming less cautious of people and roads. She often ventured near roads, despite attempts by wildlife officials to keep her away. The team members, who knew Nakoda as bear 178, began tracking her in 2022 after she learned to climb a fence near a highway.

Since 2022, a wildlife conservation team has captured Nakoda three times and led her off the roadside. Also in 2022, Parks Canada introduced a no-stop zone and lowered the speed limit on a section of the Trans-Canada Highway to discourage people from slowing down to photograph her and other wildlife.

Addendum

According to Parks Canada, since 2019, 23 bears, including seven grizzlies, have been killed on railroads and roads in Yogo National Park.