11 bears killed in Tofino, Ucluelet after breaking into structures to find garbage
Conservation officers are asking residents of Vancouver Island's west coast to report bear sightings as soon as possible as the region deals with an unusually busy pre-hibernation season.
As of Wednesday, conservation officers had been forced to euthanize 11 black bears in Tofino and Ucluelet after the animals broke into structures in search of food.
Sgt. Stuart Bates, of the BC Conservation Officer Service, said he expects that number to rise, as there are other bears in the area that officers are currently trying to capture.
"We've had 337 calls, which is a 425 per cent increase over last year," Bates told CTV News.
While one or two bears can prompt a lot of calls if they're in a highly populated area, Bates said the sheer number of bears that have been getting into homes, sheds and garages is unprecedented in his career.
"I haven't seen a case like this," he said. "We're removing the bears and there's other bears showing up within days and they're already food-conditioned and habituated. I don't know what's causing it."
In one case, Bates said, officers received a call about a bear that had broken into a garage. When officers arrived 30 minutes later, the bear was still there, and the animal gave no indication that it was afraid of the officers.
That level of habituation, in which bears lose their fear of humans and come to view human structures as a source of food, makes the animals dangerous to local residents.
"That's a line that we will not allow our bears to cross," Bates said.
Unfortunately, habituated bears can't be relocated. They're likely to return to populated areas and continue to pose a threat to people they encounter, he said.
Instead, bears showing this type of behaviour have to be euthanized, which Bates said is not an outcome conservation officers want to see. He likened it to having a pet put down.
"It's not a nice thing to ever have to do," he said. "I hope nobody ever has to do it. I hope I never have to do it again in my career, but I know that's not likely."
Confoundingly, it's not obvious what's attracting the bears in Tofino and Ucluelet this year, Bates said. He said officers have patrolled the area on the night before garbage day in search of trash put out at the curb early. They didn't find any.
Now, he's hoping people who see signs of unsecured garbage or other bear attractants will get in touch with the conservation officer service as soon as possible. Deterring bears before they become habituated to humans is safer for everyone involved, Bates said.
"The sooner I know, the more options I have," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.