A conservation officer shot and killed a black bear after it made its way into a Lynn Valley residents backyard Thursday evening and tried to get into the house.
The animal had come on to the property near east 15th street and Eastview repeatedly over the course of two days, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service. The owner hadnt reported it on the first day, but when it kept coming back, had decided to contact the service. When officers arrived, he showed them pictures of the bear, a juvenile male, trying aggressively to enter his home.
Under the provincial response matrix, when a bear shows this level of aggression and is very habituated to a human presence, it becomes a public safety issue, and we must kill (it), Gravel said. He was not a good candidate for translocation.
The animal was captured and killed at about 9 p.m.
Gravel said that it is imperative for residents to contact the conservation office as soon as they see one of the animals.
People dont report it because they think we are just going to kill the bear; they dont call until they feel like it is a real threat, he said. The best thing people can do is report every sighting so that we can do proactive work and avoid using extreme measures.
To report a bear sighting to conservation officers call 1-800-663-9453.
