Black bear surprises people, chases geese at Metro Vancouver park
Two videos posted online Saturday show a black bear surprising people enjoying the Canada Day weekend at a busy Metro Vancouver park.
One video posted to Reddit shows a black bear on the pitch and putt course at Burnaby's Central Park. It chases two adult geese and a gosling, the older birds honking and flapping their wings while the younger one is unable to escape and is eventually caught by the bear. The animal comes within feet of people and one can be heard yelling "Get out of the way!"
Another video posted to YouTube shows a bear in the wooded area adjacent to the paved walking and biking path near the SkyTrain tracks. In the three-minute video, the animal slowly ambles out onto the path itself, coming very close to people cycling and strolling.
It is unclear if both videos show the same bear.
The Burnaby RCMP received "several calls" about a bear in the park and attended at least once between 11:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m.
"In general, the callers stated the bear was not acting aggressively towards members of the public," says spokesperson Cpl. Mike Kalanj in an email, adding the BC Conservation Officers Service was made aware of the calls.
CTV News has reached out to B.C.'s Ministry of the Environment to see what the response was and this story will be updated if more information is received.
Two weeks ago, a black bear was spotted by residents of a neighbourhood on the Vancouver-Burnaby border. Police were called to the scene, where they shot and killed the animal.
Advocates say the colder-than-average spring weather has reduced the salmonberry crop this year, prompting more black bears to enter residential neighbourhoods looking for food.
The most recent data from the province on reports of black bear encounters is from April of this year. There were 935 calls received, 133 reports investigated, and 23 bears destroyed by the BC Conservation Officers Service. Those are the highest numbers recorded in the publicly available data, which dates back to 2011.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Biden OKs US$60M in aid after Baltimore bridge collapse as governor warns of 'very long road ahead'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warned Thursday of a 'very long road ahead' to recover from the loss of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge as the Biden administration approved US$60 million in immediate federal aid after the deadly collapse.