Because he used the safety equipment and he knew how to handle bear attacks investigators believe the cause of death was not a grizzly attack. One possible scenario is that the experienced trainer fell and hit his head knocking him unconscious before getting mauled to death.
The three 226-kg Grizzly bears were bred in captivity so that they can be used in motion pictures and photography shoots. The bears Yosemite, Griz and Adam are known as the “Trio of Grizzly Bears”. The lead head trainer of Animals of Montana explained that Cloutier suspected to still be alive was found as Griz the Grizzly bear just got a grip on him.
Unfortunately all attempts to save the trainer failed. Griz was killed in order to safely retrieve the body of the dead trainer. Investigators say the cause of death cannot be exactly determined and an autopsy is needed to safely say an unsuspecting bear attack was not the main reason why Benjamin Cloutier died.
