B.C. resident facing charges for allegedly feeding bears, coyotes for 'months': conservation officers
A resident of British Columbia's Lower Mainland could face charges for allegedly feeding bears and coyotes in West Vancouver, provincial conservation officers say.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service posted details Monday about a tip it responded to on Friday. Officers said they were told a "local resident spent months feeding bears and coyotes in the area."
"The primary concern of the Conservation Officer Service is public safety," the BCCOS said. "Illegally feeding or placing attractants to lure dangerous wildlife, such as bears and coyotes, is a dangerous activity and puts both the public and the animal's welfare at risk."
While BCCOS didn't say what penalties this individual might face, fines for repeatedly feeding wildlife can reach the thousands. In fact, last year, a Whistler resident was fined $60,000 for feeding bulk produce to black bears from her backyard.
An investigation into that situation determined the resident was feeding the bears up to 10 cases of apples, 50 pounds of carrots and up to 15 dozen eggs, which she purchased each week.
Officials and advocates have repeatedly warned of the dangers of bears becoming food conditioned, including the risk of animals being killed by conservation officers.
"The bottom line is the best way to protect animals from being killed because they’re habituated to human food is to control their attractants," Minister of Environment George Heyman told reporters earlier this month.
"When animals are habituated to human sources of food, whether it is as an adult or a cub, then there is a risk to human communities. conservation officers have to make these decisions on the ground,"
In the first four months of the year, 39 black bears were killed by conservation officers in the province and officers responded to just under 200 calls about the animals. In 2021, 504 black bears were killed by conservation officers, provincial data shows. Calls about bears to BCCOS typically increase in the summer months.
The BCCOS told CTV News Vancouver it's testing out what it calls a "bear-hazing approach" in some parts of the Lower Mainland, where officers use bright lights, loud sounds, bean bags and paintball guns to scare the bears off.
So far this year, no bears have been translocated and only two have been hazed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.