Mountain goat 'turned the tables,' killed grizzly bear in Yoho National Park

Grizzly bears are known as one of the most ferocious predators in the forest; few can stand against them. 

Except for a rare circumstance in Yoho National Park, where a mountain goat took one on — and won. 

According to Parks Canada, a forensic necropsy of a female grizzly bear determined that it died of wounds inflicted by the mountain goat. 

David Laskin, wildlife ecologist with Parks Canada, said the bear was found with puncture wounds at the bottom of the neck and armpits, consistent with a mountain goat's horns. 

"[It] was the result of an unsuccessful predation attempt on a mountain goat. And I guess the mountain goat was successful in the circumstance. And it ultimately turned the tables on this bear," he said on CBC's Radio West. 

He added that it was consistent with the predatory attack behaviour of grizzly bears and the defensive response of mountain goats.

"When grizzlies attack, they tend to focus on the head in the back of the neck and the shoulders of their prey. And this is usually from above. So in turn, the defensive response of the mountain goat would be to protect itself using its sharp points," Laskin said.