Man mauled by B.C. grizzly bear

An Alaskan fisherman is in a Vancouver hospital with serious injuries after being mauled by a grizzly bear in northwestern B.C.  

The 65-year-old man was fishing on the Morice River near Houston on Tuesday when he startled a female grizzly that had at least one cub with it, said conservation officer Kevin Nixon.

"He was able to walk his way upstream on the river along the shoreline about 300 meters to his vehicle, and then a passing motorist saw him in the low light conditions around 8 o'clock that night and she helped him," Nixon said.

The man suffered several broken bones and severe wounds to his head and face.   Nixon says the attack appears to have been defensive, so officers are not actively pursuing the bear.

However, the popular fishing spot has been closed off until the area is deemed safe.

Nixon expects it will remain closed until Monday.