BURST
A hiker was injured when he and his dog were chased by a grizzly bear in a remote area near Sicamous.
Around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, conservation officers were called after a man hiking with his off-leash dog along the Queest Mountain Forest Service Road in the Malakwa area encountered the grizzly.
The bear chased the dog then lashed out at the man, who was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service called the attack defensive, and nsaid o efforts have been made to capture or locate the bear. Warning signs have been put up in the area.
Officers will continue to monitor bear activity in the area and respond as needed.
“The public is encouraged to familiarize themselves with safety precautions in case of wildlife encounters, including leashing pets and carrying bear spray,” the service said in a social media post on Thursday.
“Bears are dealing with drought conditions, and are active as they need to find berries and food in advance of hibernation.”
Several bear attacks have occurred in recent weeks in more populated parts of B.C. Three grizzlies have been killed in the past month after becoming frequent visitors to residential areas of Nelson and campsites at Christina Lake and creating a public safety risk.
Also in August, a three-year-old girl was attacked by a black bear on the deck of her family home in Maple Ridge, a woman was injured by a bear while she and her dog were on the back deck of their Anmore home and a Coquitlam man was bitten by a black bear outside an apartment building in Port Coquitlam.
This rash of incidents has revived calls for B.C. to revive its stalled Bear Smart program.
More information on bear and wildlife safety is available at wildsafebc.com . Bear conflicts and aggressive behaviour can be reported toll free at 1-877-952-7277.