Man, 34, Told Family Not to Worry About His Polar Bear Pictures. Then He Was Fatally Attacked

A 34-year-old man was fatally attacked by two polar bears on a remote island in Canada after stepping outside to take photographs.

Before the incident on Aug. 8, 2024, Christopher Best reassured his family that he understood how to safely observe wildlife while working at a radar site on Brevoort Island, according to The Canadian Press. His mother, Shelly Cox, said he told them, “They’re not close to us,” and reminded them that he knew the difference between safe and unsafe distances.

Best had been hired to clean fuel tanks for North Warning System while awaiting security clearance for a logistics role, the outlet reported. Passionate about wildlife photography, he shared a polar bear photo on Instagram the day before his death, captioning it, “Polar Bear hanging around the site at BAF-3.”

According to a report from Nasittuq Corporation — the operator of the North Warning System sites — that image had been safely taken from inside a vehicle.

Hoping to capture more photos, Best asked a wildlife monitor to alert him if bears were nearby. After finishing his shift on Aug. 8, he learned that a bear was outside. He stepped out with his camera, unaware that a second bear was also in the area, The Canadian Press reported.

Surveillance footage later revealed that one bear blocked his path back indoors and charged. Moments later, the second bear joined the attack.

“I don’t think he would have went out if he would have known that second bear was there,” Cox said.

The next morning, his family received the devastating news. “We were just in shock,” she told the outlet.

North Warning System and its predecessor, the DEW Line, reported that no previous bear-related injuries or fatalities had been recorded in the region for 70 years, according to the review by The Canadian Press.

Nasittuq Corporation has since recommended a range of new safety measures aimed at preventing future incidents. The company stated that it is deeply concerned for the welfare of its employees and everyone affected by the tragedy.