A West Vancouver man has received a $230 fine for strapping the carcasses of two black bears to the roof of his GMC van without proper permits.
The 45-year-old man was driving down Highway 99 near Whistler on Sunday when RCMP officers stopped him after receiving reports of the unusual transportation method. The man claimed the bears were road kill.
According to the BC Conservation Officer Service, officers concluded that the bears had not been victims of foul play.
"Because he was given a hide and picked up a road kill cub, he was fined $230 and the two bears were seized," said Insp. Chris Doyle. "He had not harvested them illegally; if he had, there could be more serious consequences.
According to Doyle, the man had taken the bears for taxidermy reasons.
During hunting season, it's common for hunters to transport bears and other game animals by strapping them on to the roofs of their vehicles, said Doyle.
