Environment Yukon will be reviewing its education methods for bear encounters and attacks over the course of the winter.

In the wake of a coroner’s report into the death of Claudia Huber, killed during a grizzly bear attack in October 2014, it has been recommended that education for bear encounters be made better.

The department will review its current education materials and decide whether any changes need to be made.

“We can always revisit our efforts and ensure we’re delivering the correct message to the correct audience,” conservation officer Chris Gustafson said in an interview Tuesday.

Right now, the department has a wide range of reading material on its website regarding bear safety. Most of it is vetted through other agencies and experts throughout North America, Gustafson said.

Huber lived near Johnson’s Crossing, southeast of Whitehorse, with her partner, Matthias Liniger.

That day in October, a grizzly had come onto their property, made its way into their home and eventually attacked Huber, dragging her across a creek and up onto a bank.

Liniger grabbed his rifle and fired several rounds at the bear before having to return to the house to get more ammunition.

Liniger returned and killed the bear. One of the bullets fired, however, deflected off a branch and fatally injured Huber, the coroner’s report found.

She had been playing dead during the attack.

“It unfortunately wasn’t the correct response in this incident,” coroner Kirsten Macdonald wrote in her four-page report, released last week.

Gustafson said the best way to react in an encounter is determined in a case-by-case basis.

“Telling the difference between the type of behaviour and what actions should be taken depends on the behaviour of the bear and nature of the encounter,” he said.

On its website, Environment Yukon has a document titled How you can stay safe in bear country that identifies the two different actions one should take – and it all depends on whether the bear is acting defensive or predatory.

“Essentially, we ask people to stop and make some sort of assessment as to what the bear is doing,” Gustafson said.

In the case of Huber and Liniger, the coroner’s report stated the attack was predatory in nature.

“A predatory attack requires the victim to fight back against the bear,” the report states.

This type of attack can be distinguished by the bear’s demeanour, Gustafson said. A bear with its head up and ears pointed toward you with clear focus are signs of a predatory bear.

“We do not recommend you play dead,” he said.

“You use any deterrent you have. You’re fighting for your life, essentially.”

While the coroner’s report recommends more education is the answer, it also suggests that false information is also a problem.

“There appears to be ongoing misinformation in the public, despite efforts to get this message out,” the report states in its recommendations.

Part of this could be due to old information out there, Gustafson said.

While education forms a foundation, he said, there are just too many variables to predict how every person will react if the worst was to happen.

“Realistically, these are split-second decisions that people have to make,” he said.

In addition to more education on the types of encounters and corresponding actions, the report recommended Environment Yukon put out more information regarding leaving food and other bear attractants accessible.

“Most incidents of human-bear conflict are caused by poor handling of attractants,” Environment Yukon’s website states.

But in the 2014 attack, it might not have been the case.

“In this particular instance, there was no attractants at the site. It was immaculate,” Gustafson said.

“They did nothing to contribute to attracting a bear.”