A Yukon runner who recently survived a grizzly bear attack has described how she thinks her hair clip played a role in saving her life. According to a Facebook post from , on the evening of Sunday, June 30, Vanessa Leegstra was running on the Trans Canada Trail connecting Pine Lake to Haines Junction with her dog on leash when she encountered a group of grizzly bears on the trail. "While the individual attempted to increase space, their dog broke free triggering a defensive reaction from one of the bears.
The bear attacked the individual resulting in significant injuries requiring medical attention," writes the YCOS. Leegstra is recovering in hospital from where she spoke to yesterday describing the attack. She says her dog chased the female bears away, causing the male grizzly to become territorial and round on her.
Leegstra says she attempted to hide behind a tree for protection but the bruin reached her before she made it. "He grabbed my head and wrapped his paws around me. And I just remember the claws digging into my back.
I could feel him biting my arm, my head." However, Leegstra says she was wearing a large plastic hair clip which shattered when the bear bit into her head causing it to let go for long enough that she could get behind the tree. Her barking dog then distracted the bear, giving Leegstra enough time to escape onto the highway and call for help.
In addition to a number of lacerations across her body and head, Leegstra suffered a broken arm in the attack. Y.
