'Scratchy itchy black bear' caught on camera on B.C. trail
A black bear didn't seem to mind when a cyclist stopped to watch it deal with an itch in Port Coquitlam Tuesday.
Video captured by Mark Teasdale shows the bear using its back paw to scratch its face and ear.
The bear seems to notice Teasdale and another cyclist who stopped to watch, but the audience fails to deter it as its scratching moves down toward its chest and belly.
Teasdale kept his distance, capturing the video from a trail using a zoom lens. He posted the video on social media with the caption "scratchy itchy black bear trail side."
He told CTV News he spotted the bear while biking the Traboulay PoCo Trail, a 23.5-kilometre loop around the city.
He saw the bear somewhere between Sun Valley Park and the Hyde Creek Nature reserve, and also spotted an owl while out.
Black bears are not unusual in the area, especially in wooded areas and near food sources.
Residents and park-goers are reminded to keep their distance and not to feed the bears, as habituation often leads to death for the lumbering animals.
More than 500 black bears were killed by conservation officers last year, and another 84 by other agencies or individuals.
Garbage is the most significant attractant to bears, and once they get used to feeding on unnatural sources, it's often considered too late to try to relocate them.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE A BEAR
In the event of an encounter, the bear should be given enough space to walk away. People should try to stay calm, backing up slowly without staring directly at the bear.
If the bear approaches anyway, it's best to use bear spray rather than trying to run away. If the bear appears to be charging or stalking, people should play dead if they can't get into a building or vehicle, or climb a tree.
They should fight back with anything nearby if attacked, wildlife officials say.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.