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.