Alberta Parks says a bear that killed a hunter in Kananaskis Country last week will not be destroyed.

Rick Cross was mauled when he accidentally got between a mother bear with a fresh kill and her cub.

Officials suggested on Monday it was a defensive attack.

Richard Starke, the minister for Alberta's parks, tweeted that leaving the mother bear and her cub in their habitat is a good decision.

A bear closure remains in effect for the Picklejar Creek, Mist Creek and Mist Ridge areas.

Kim Titchener with WildSmart, a conservation group that tries to reduce negative interactions between humans and wildlife, says bears are trying to consume as much food as possible in preparation for winter.

She says there are some steps to take in the event of a bear attack.

"If a defensive bear charges you spray it with bear spray," said Titchener. "If you don't have bear spray drop to the ground and play dead, cover you head, stay on your stomach [and] do not make noise. If the bear rolls you over, roll back on your stomach."



More bear safety information is available on the WildSmart website.