Man recovering after attack by black bear at work camp in northern B.C.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is investigating a bear attack that happened Monday night in northernB.C.

The provincial agency saida male employee of mining company ZincX Resources Corporationwas left with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after an encounter witha black bear at his remote work camp site in the Akie River Valley more than 220 kilometres northwestof Mackenzie, B.C. shortly after 10 p.m. PT.

The agency confirms that the bear tookthe manby surprise whilehis coworkers were setting up the camp site.

According to the Conservation Officer Service, the bear was shot and killed by another worker after the attack. It said the victim who is now recovering receivedmedical treatment onsite and was later transported more than 500 kilometres south to a hospital in Prince George.

All remaining employees have left the work camp site, the agency tweeted.

Conservation officers are conducting a forensic investigation of the attack site to makesure there's not an ongoing safety concern.

Eamon McArthur, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service'sacting sergeant forthe Ominecaregion, says workers will be allowed to return to the camp site once the investigation is complete.

"We attended the site and took samples and ensured that the site was safe [and] there were no other animals," he said. "We've gone through with the the company[and] discussed some options on how to be safe in their country."

McArthuradvises people to become informed and take safety precautionsin remote areas with a large number ofblack bears and no easy access to emergency services.