BURST
A young grizzly bear was killed by Conservation Officers on Thursday near Nelson.
The bear, one of two collared yearling grizzlies which had been relocated 50 km away from Nelson two weeks ago, made its way to Christina Lake within days of its transport.
It continued visit the residential area, with calls to the RAPP line reporting the bear on the beach, in a boat, in backyards, and on the golf course. It was also observed eating garbage in a busy campground resort on Thursday.
In co-ordination with wildlife biologists from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS), the decision was made to kill the bear to ensure public safety.
“The high degree of comfort around people in a residential setting, dependence on non-natural food, and previous relocation made a subsequent relocation, or rehabilitation, not viable,” the B.C. Conservation Officers service said in a Facebook post .
The other bear, a female yearling, has since moved away from the Christina Lake area and continues to be closely monitored.
The two had been part of a well-known family of four bears, consisting of a sow and three offspring, which had been frequent visitors to sites near Nelson. The mother bear had previously been relocated away from Nelson, but returned, with officials saying the group posed a danger to the public after becoming habituated to humans, and would forage for food in people’s yards and garbage.
The sow and another yearling, which wasn’t considered a viable relocation candidate, were killed earlier this month.
Human bear encounters have been frequent this year as dry, arid conditions have reduced traditional food sources. Berry growth has been impacted by drought, and the low water levels have also impacted the start of the salmon spawning season.