Bear spotted wandering along train tracks near New Westminster's waterfront

Vancouver -

There was a rather unusual sight along New Westminster's waterfront over the weekend, as a bear was spotted taking a stroll.

The bear was seen going along the railway tracks near Stewardson Way. New Westminster police issued a warning to people in the area.

The bear eventually made its way towards the New Westminster quay area where it was captured.

“Safely capturing the bear required a brief closure of Columbia Street,” said Sgt. Sanjay Kumar in a news release.

“We were happy to assist the BC Conservation Officers and we want to thank the public for their patience.”

Police and conservation officers safely relocated the bear outside the city Sunday.

Early last month, a bear was spotted wandering along the train tracks near downtown Vancouver. That bear was seen near the Port of Vancouver and appeared to be heading towards Gastown. 

Conservation officers were able to immobilize the bear and relocate it to the Sea to Sky region, according to an email from B.C.'s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

At the time, Brittany Mueller with the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the animal was a two-and-a-half-year-old male and may have wandered from the Burnaby Mountain area.

About two weeks after that incident, a bear was seen in an outdoor shopping centre in Kelowna. The bear didn't go into any shops, but walked around until Mounties chased him out of the area.