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Calgary Zoo Working to Figure Out How a Grizzly Bear Got Free to Wander the Grounds
Zoo teams immobilized Fitz and reopened the Wild Canada area after a full assessment; no injuries were reported to guests, staff or animals.
- On Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, a one-year-old grizzly bear named Fitz escaped his enclosure at the Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo, wandering the grounds before being safely immobilized and returned.
- Fitz and his brother Turner arrived at the facility last May as cubs after their mother was killed by a hunter near Diamond Valley, southwest of Calgary, last year.
- Following the 7:30 a.m. escape, animal care and security teams, alongside the Calgary Police Service, immediately activated emergency response procedures to secure the bear and the grounds.
- Communications manager Cindy Antonello confirmed that Fitz was successfully immobilized and returned to his back-of-house space, with no injuries reported to guests, staff, volunteers, or animals.
- The zoo's Wild Canada section remained temporarily closed while teams completed a full assessment of the area, and officials are reviewing the incident as part of established post-incident procedures.
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Fitz's freedom foray: brief bear escape at Calgary Zoo
A short lived bid for freedom by a one-year-old bear named Fitz led to a temporary change of operations at the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo. In a statement to various media, zoo officials say the grizzly bear managed to escape his enclosure Sunday around 7:30 a.m., which brought about an immediate activation of emergency response […]
·Toronto, Canada
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources18
Leaning Left8Leaning Right0Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Left
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources lean Left
53% Left
L 53%
C 47%
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