A black bear was shot and killed after wandering into Hope, B.C., on Saturday, upsetting a crowd of concerned locals who simply wanted to see the animal relocated.
Witnesses told CTV News the bear was "snapping and grunting" through a residential neighbourhood before getting spooked and climbing a large tree.
A group formed to catch a glimpse of the bear and to watch how Conservation Officers would handle the situation.
To their dismay, it was destroyed due to fears it had been habituated. "The bear posed no threat to anybody," one tearful witness said.
Tony Webb, chairman of the North Shore Black Bear Network, said it's up to locals to handle their garbage diligently.
"It's very sad to hear when a bear goes, but it's usually caused by the public not managing their attractants in a bear-proof manner," Webb said.
Seemingly harmless onlookers watching from the sidelines can also hurt the bear's chances of being relocated, Webb added. "That sends a signal to the bear that hey, these people are quite friendly to have around, no problem at all," he said.
To avoid bear encounters, residents are advised to:
- Place garbage at the curb the morning of collection day, not the night before
- Double-bag food waste and clean bins regularly
- Remove bird feeders
- Keep doors closed, especially while cooking
- Clean barbecues thoroughly after each use
- Keep property clean; even dirty diapers and animal droppings will attract bears
- Clean jars and cans before putting them into recycling
Between 600 and 1,000 bears are destroyed in B.C. annually as a public safety measure. Fore more information on how to avoid bear confrontations, visit the Bear Aware website.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Sarah Galashan
