 A recent photo of 31 year old Robin Kochorek, of Calgary who was killed by an aggressive black bear near Panorama Mountain Village resort, about 19 kilometers west of Invermere in southeastern B.C. She was Mountain biking at time of her death. (HO)
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The family of a Calgary woman killed by a bear on a B.C. ski hill holds no animosity towards the bruin, the victim's brother said yesterday.
Michael Kochorek said his sister Robin, 31, who was found dead at the Panorama Ski Resort near Invermere on Saturday, would have wanted the bear that killed her spared.
"Nobody in my family would want the bear put down and my sister wouldn't want it that way at all," said Kochorek, adding he understands why the black bear was shot -- so rescuers could approach his sister's body.
But Kochorek said the young black bear was only playing its role in the wild.
"I don't think any of us has any hatred towards the animal -- the animal was acting in a very instinctive manner," he said.
"My family is very respective of wildlife and bear smart."
Some wildlife experts have said the younger bear in question might have lacked the maturity to avoid humans.
Yesterday, an autopsy was performed on the bear that killed Robin, who was biking and had chosen a less challenging route down the hill.
"Either my sister startled the bear or she was startled by the bear," said her older brother.
He said there's no way Robin would have knowingly ridden past the resort's boundaries, adding the runs are poorly marked, making it easier for his sister to have gone 400 metres past the limit.
He repeated his question of why the resort wouldn't have more fully communicated the presence of bears on the mountain or prevented people from venturing into a dangerous area.
"But the bottom line is, it's just a terrible accident, period, and our focus is on arranging Robin's funeral," he said.
"We don't really want to get into the blame."
Resort officials said there are signs noting recent bear sightings placed at the front desk and base of the ski hill.
The funeral for Robin -- who worked with autistic children as a speech pathologist -- will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 640 19 Ave. N.W.
Kochorek said given his sister's vitality and the lives she touched, the church should be crowded.
"I wouldn't be surprised if there are a large amount of people there," he said.
