Aug. 17 (UPI) — The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo in Alberta revealed a 1-year-old grizzly bear escaped from his enclosure for a brief time before guests arrived.
Zoo officials confirmed Fitz the grizzly bear escaped from his habitat about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, prompting emergency response protocols to be activated.
The Calgary Police Service responded alongside the zoo’s animal care and security teams.
Fitz was successfully tranquilized and relocated to a behind-the-scenes bear habitat.
The zoo opened shortly after 9 a.m. Sunday, but the Wild Canada section remained closed until the afternoon while zoo investigators worked to assess how Fitz managed to get out of his habitat.
Fitz and his brother, Turner, came to live at the zoo after being orphaned in the autumn of 2025.