Cannibal grizzly Split Lip likely gobbled smaller bear due to food stress

A Parks Canada wildlife specialist says he suspects a 250-kilogramgrizzlygobbled down a smallergrizzly becausehe was really, really hungry.

Steve Michel, a human-wildlife conflict specialist with Banff National Park,says staff discovered the carnagelast month after a radio collar was lost by Bear No. 136, nicknamed Split Lip because of a massive scar on his mouth.

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When they went to retrieve it, they also found thefullyconsumed carcass of another, smaller grizzly.

"There really was nothing left except askull and some hair samples," said Michel.

Park officials have confirmed it was Bear No. 132, a male grizzly that weighed 90kilograms.Split Lipis almost three times his size around 250kilos, saysMichel.

Becauseso little was left of the smaller bear, park staff can't be 100 per cent certain he died at the paws ofSplit Lip.

But Michel says that's whatlikely went down.

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"In the past, we have had some incidents where we have documented for sure large male grizzly bears killing other mature grizzly bears smaller than themSo it's a strong possibility that that's what happened in this case."

Poor food year for predators

It's been a poor food year for predators in Banff National Parkand surroundingareas, says Michel.

For one, berry crops that bearsoftenfeast onwere quite limited this year.

"The animals were food-stressed and they didn't have nearly as much fat on as they'd likegoing into the den," he said. "Bears are very opportunistic. They'll take advantage of any sort of predator event that they're capable of."

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"There's no question" bears in the area are skinnier than they should be at this time of year, said Michel.

He saysjuvenileand female bears willbe heading into hibernation any day now, but big grizzlies like Split Lip could be out foraginguntil Christmas.