On Sunday morning, an unusual incident occurred at the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo: a young grizzly bear named Fitz briefly escaped from his enclosure in the Wild Canada area.
The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m.—before the zoo was scheduled to open to visitors. According to the zoo, the one-year-old male grizzly bear found himself outside his habitat about an hour and a half before the area was set to open to the public.
The zoo staff immediately activated emergency response procedures. Fitz was safely sedated and moved to a staff-only area closed to visitors. The zoo reported that no one was injured during the incident—neither guests, staff, volunteers, nor other animals.
The zoo itself opened to visitors shortly after 9:00 a.m., but the Wild Canada area, where the grizzly bear enclosure is located, remained temporarily closed. Staff conducted a thorough inspection of the area to assess the situation and ensure everything was safe. Later, early in the day, that part of the zoo reopened to guests.
At this time, the zoo has not released details on exactly how Fitz managed to escape from his enclosure. The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo stated that the team will review all the circumstances of the incident as part of standard procedure following such situations.
Fitz is one of two young grizzly bears that came to the Calgary Zoo after being orphaned near Diamond Valley last fall. Along with his brother Turner, he became part of the Wild Canada exhibit and made his public debut this spring.
The bears’ names also reflect the areas where they came from. Fitz is named after Fitzsimmons Creek near Diamond Valley, and Turner is named after Turner Valley. According to the zoo’s description, Fitz is the bolder and more active of the two brothers: he is often the first to explore new areas and spends more time away from the den.
This incident quickly caught the attention of Calgary residents, as grizzlies are large and potentially dangerous animals—even when they are young. At the same time, it’s important to note that the situation was quickly brought under control before the zoo opened to visitors.
For zoo visitors, the main takeaway is simple: Fitz is safe, neither people nor animals were harmed, and the Wild Canada area has been reopened to visitors following an inspection.
The story of Fitz and Turner serves as a reminder that behind every animal at the zoo lies not only an exhibit for visitors but also the complex work of a team, as well as issues of safety, care, adaptation, and responsibility for wild animals that, for various reasons, can no longer return to life in the wild.