Mounties issue 80 tickets in B.C. national park after crashes kill 3 bears in 6 days
Multiple crashes involving bears in a B.C. national park earlier this month prompted a crackdown on drivers in the area, according to the B.C. Highway Patrol and Parks Canada.
In a news release Thursday, the BCHP said the federal parks agency contacted it in early June "after a number of collisions with bears on Highway 1 east of Field B.C." in Yoho National Park.
A spokesperson for Parks Canada told CTV News by email that three bears were struck and killed in the same stretch of highway over a six-day span from June 7 to 13.
The first collision happened during the early morning hours of June 7 near the Lake O'Hara parking lot, according to Parks Canada. The bear – a young female grizzly – was believed to be about five years old and was the sibling of Yoho National Park's well-known white grizzly.
After the initial crash, Parks Canada implemented a speed limit reduction to 70 kilometres per hour between West Louise Lodge and the bottom of Field Hill. The agency also established a no-stopping zone and stepped up enforcement in the area.
The second collision happened on June 11, killing an adult male grizzly that had been trying to breed with the female bear killed earlier that week.
The second crash led officials to reduce the speed limit to 50 km/h, according to Parks Canada.
On June 13, the third collision killed an adult male black bear.
As a result of the string of crashes, according to the BCHP release, officers from both agencies began an "enforcement and education campaign."
"The section of highway is popular with both black bears and grizzly bears at this time of year due to an abundance of high-value food sources found along the road," police said in their release.
"Unfortunately, this puts the bears at risk of contact with motor vehicles and often results in injury or death to the bears."
During the week of June 13, BCHP officers and Parks Canada wardens issued 80 speeding tickets and impounded four vehicles. They also ticketed one person for flying a drone in a national park.
"Parks Canada stresses the importance of observing the reduced speed limits, and to drive with caution in the early morning and evening hours," the agency said. "Do not stop if you see wildlife on the roadside, particularly along the Trans-Canada Highway. Please report all wildlife sightings on the roads or any wildlife incidents to Parks Canada dispatch at 403-762-1470."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.