Port Hardy residents warned after man encounters 'aggressive black bear' in town
The BC Conservation Officer Service is warning residents of Port Hardy to "take precautions" after a man had an encounter with "an aggressive black bear" in the district on Friday.
The incident occurred early in the morning near Market and Granville streets, according to a Facebook post by the BCCOS.
The service did not elaborate on the nature of the man's encounter with the bear, other than to say that he was "eventually able to get to safety with the help of local RCMP members."
"Port Hardy residents are accustomed to bears wandering through town, but this bear was unusually aggressive, so the public should maintain safe distances from bears at all times," the BCCOS post reads.
Conservation officers are working to track down the bear, and municipal officials have been asked to post signs in the area, according to the service.
"Residents are asked to familiarize themselves with safety tips, including travelling in groups, making noise and carrying bear spray," the service said, adding that a full list of tips can be found on the provincial government's website.
In an email to CTV News on Sunday, the BCCOS said no additional sightings of the bear had been reported.
"Officers continue to monitor and patrol the community," the service said.
B.C. conservation officers killed more than 500 black bears in 2021, typically because the animals had shown signs of becoming accustomed to unnatural food sources – such as trash – or habituated to the presence of humans.
Included in the 2021 total were 77 cubs, many of which were not killed out of necessity, according to an animal-rights organization that has filed a complaint against the conservation officer service.
In the first four months of this year, 39 black bears were killed by conservation officers in the province, and officers responded to just under 200 calls about the animals. Calls about bears to BCCOS typically increase in the summer months.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Alyse Kotyk and Tahmina Aziz
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'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.
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.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, pleads guilty in sports betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud Wednesday in a sports betting case where prosecutors allege he stole US$16 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
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.
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 head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.