B.C. mayor captures his encounter with a bear on camera
A Metro Vancouver mayor captured on camera a recent and close encounter with a four-legged member of his community.
Mayor Richard Stewart, of Coquitlam, ran into a black bear while biking on a local trail, and posted video of the incident online.
He said he backed away about 60 metres (200 feet), then zoomed in with his camera to get the video, which was captured on the Coquitlam River Trail.
Stewart said he stuck around too to warn others about the hungry bear out for a stroll.
"If we're careful with our attractants, garbage, etc., the bears will stay in the forests to forage, where there is lots of food for them," he wrote on Faceboook. "Please, let's keep our bear population safe by keeping them from human food sources."
Black bear sightings are not unusual in Coquitlam, especially in wooded areas.
Residents of the area are asked to keep their distance, giving the bear enough space to walk away.
In the event of an encounter, they should try to stay calm. Wildlife officials say to back up slowly and not stare directly at the bear.
If it approaches, use bear spray rather than running. If charged or stalked, play dead if you can't escape into a building, vehicle or up a tree. If attacked, fight back with anything nearby: rocks, sticks, hiking polls or other items.
To reduce the likelihood of an up-close encounter, the City of Coquitlam asks residents to store garbage, green bins and recycling bins in an area inaccessible to bears and other wildlife.
Meat and strong-smelling food scraps should be frozen, and only transferred to green bins on collection day.
Pet food should be stored inside, and fruit should be picked as soon as it ripens.
Barbecues should be kept clean, and fallen seed from bird feeders should be cleaned up.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Mookie Betts leads Dodgers past Blue Jays 4-2; Toronto drops fifth consecutive game
Mookie Betts went 3 for 5, including a triple and an RBI single, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Saturday.