VICTORIA - A man who illegally shot a moose in British Columbia's southern Interior has been fined $10,000 after leaving the animal to suffer before it died.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says it began an investigation in November 2017 after the man from Surrey, B.C., reported that he shot the bull the day before near the community of Beaverdell.
The service says its officers determined the moose was left alive, but partially paralyzed, and evidence at the scene indicated the bull struggled extensively and suffered before its death.
The service says the man was convicted in a Kelowna provincial court last week on three Wildlife Act charges.
It says a provincial wildlife veterinarian provided evidence to the court that showed the degree of unnecessary suffering the moose endured was severe and extended.
The services says $8,500 from the fine will be directed to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.
