Sunshine Coast man fined $900 after letting bear family feast on grain
A man living on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast has been fined $900 after letting a family of bears feast on a pile of grain outside his home.
The incident happened in April 2020, but only recently made its way through the court process, resulting in a stiff fine for attracting dangerous wildlife to a premises.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said it was alerted the what happened by social media images showing a bear and cub mowing down on a significant quantity of grain that was spread on the ground.
Const. Leyland Klassen told CTV News some of the grain was in a pot that the bears apparently knocked over, but that there was an additional pile of grain left unprotected nearby. It's unclear why the attractants were left outside.
"The fact of the matter was the grain was out there," Klassen said, adding that the resident also failed to respond appropriately after the bears began feeding.
"It basically elevated beyond regular carelessness because there was no action taken after the fact to try and rectify the problem. It was left out essentially all day long."
The constable suggested the man responsible may have taken the position that "they're cleaning it up for me, so why would I stop them?"
Conservation officers were already on the alert because a family of bears had recently approached two children in a local backyard. Klassen said it's impossible to know for sure, but they believe the same bears were involved in both incidents.
There were additional bear conflicts in the area after the grain feeding frenzy, but the animals eventually left Sechelt on their own before becoming too habituated to humans.
Klassen said it could have gone much worse, as "leaving grain out like that is going to start a bear down the wrong path."
"At the end of the day, bears are looking for food, which is their natural behaviour. The ball is in the public's court to keep non-natural food away from them so they go for the natural stuff," he said.
People living near bear habitats should always manage their attractants, Klassen said. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service asked anyone who spots a property with unprotected attractants lying out to call the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
Tips on how to respond after encountering a bear are available on the B.C. government's website.
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.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for 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.
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.
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.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.