A portion of a well-known backcountry hiking trail in Whiteshell Provincial Park has been closed after a hiker was bitten by a bear.

According to a post in the Mantario Trail Facebook group, Ryan Potter was hiking with his wife on Monday at around 11 a.m. between a rock outcrop and the first campsite on the north trailhead of the Mantario Trail.

“A bear came up behind us and bit my husband in the back of his right thigh,” the post by Potter’s wife Allison reads. “The bear was just feet away from us. We tried acting big, and yelling at it to go away, but he was not scared of us at all.”

“Worrying for our safety, we used our bear spray, which thankfully worked, and he took off into the bush.”

According to a statement provided by Manitoba Sustainable Development, the province got word of the incident Monday afternoon and placed "trail closed-dangerous wildlife" signs at the Big Whiteshell staging area and marked the trail closed at the south end from Mantario Lake to Big Whiteshell due to dangerous wildlife.

“Conservation officers searched the area for the bear but did not locate it although the officers did encounter some hikers, and made sure they were notified of the incident and that the trail was closed,” the statement reads. “This is an area where bears can be seen, and it appears the hikers did everything they could to ward off the animal. It is unusual for a bear without cubs to be aggressive without being provoked.”

A spokesperson for Manitoba Sustainable Development said the trail is now partially closed from the Big Whiteshell trailhead to Mantario Lake.

People can still hike from the Caddy Lake trailhead to Mantario Lake and back.

“There is no timeline for the re-opening of the trail, and this is believed to be the first time this trail has been closed due to an aggressive bear,” the statement reads.

When reached by CTV Winnipeg via text message Ryan Potter declined an interview request.

“We already got the message out there we want which was enjoy the outdoors but be prepared,” he wrote.

According to his wife’s Facebook post Potter was wearing a knee brace where he was bitten. Without it she says the bite would’ve been way worse.

“Please please hike prepared and have bear spray handy,” the Facebook post reads. “Had it not been for our friends who pushed us not only to purchase bear spray, but to always have it accessible, I honestly don’t know how we would have got out of this situation.”

The province said conservation officers are monitoring the trail for hikers. If they are found they will be notified of the incident and told the trail is closed.

Hikers are encouraged to be bear smart. Tips for staying safe are available on the province's website.

'Not a typical encounter:' human wildlife conflict biologist

Janine Stewart, a human wildlife conflict biologist with the province, said there are risks when you’re in the wilderness, but she also said bear attacks aren’t a frequent occurrence.

There have been three documented bear-inflicted fatalities in the province’s history.

“In Manitoba, we have less than one report a year where there’s been physical contact between people and black bears,” said Stewart. “It’s certainly not a typical encounter with a black bear.”

She said it’s unclear what would’ve prompted the bear to bite a hiker, adding the circumstances of the attack are still under investigation.

One of the factors that will be considered is the availability of natural sources of food. Stewart said there’s currently a healthy crop of blueberries in the area.

She said in these situations, conservation officers will attempt to locate the bear and trap it. She said an animal will then either be relocated or euthanized depending on its actions.

“There’s numerous risks that people face every day,” Stewart explained. “Wildlife encounters are just one of those risks. Although there have been fatal encounters between people and black bears the likelihood of that is very small.”

“You’re 90,000 times more likely to be killed by a person than by a black bear yet we interact with people every day.”

Stewart offered these tips to reduce your risk of conflict with wildlife:

  • Be aware and alert of your surroundings.
  • Don’t wear earbuds to listen to music.
  • Travel in groups.
  • Make noise, talk.
  • On a windy day or by running water or waterfalls noises can be obscured by natural sounds so you should be extra loud.
  • Alert wildlife of your presence, give them an opportunity to avoid you.
  • Keep dogs on a leash. Dogs can sniff out bears while off leash, aggravate a bear and end up bringing a bear back to its owner.
  • Carry bear spray. Keep it accessible and know how to use it.