Like something out of a Hanna-Barbera cartoon, officials say a pair of bears that prompted the partial closure of a Metro Vancouver park were lured to the area by a picnic.
The black bears were spotted by staff shortly before noon Wednesday at a picnic area in Belcarra Regional Park.
One of them managed to get into someone's food left at a table, Metro Vancouver Regional Parks spokesperson Marcel LaBreche told CTV News.
Trained to use air horns to try to spook the lumbering animals, staff ended up scaring one into the bush. It refused to leave, so the picnic area of the park was closed for the rest of the day.
Staff members shut off the area and the road leading toward it, then redirected would-be park-goers to White Pine Beach instead. Visitors were still allowed to use the trails but were kept away from the area the bruins were last spotted.
A group of elementary school children were at the park during the incident, and were kept together and in a safe area until their bus arrived.
Conservation officers did not attend, but provided advice over the phone.
There were no injuries and staff saw no signs of aggressive bear behaviour. It's the first reported bear incident of the season.
LaBreche used the sighting as a reminder for park visitors not to feed the bears or leave food unattended. Food should be cleaned up immediately after eating, and food waste should be thrown in bear-safe receptacles.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Carly Yoshida-Butryn
