In the West Kootenay region, a third grizzly bear from a prominent family of four bears has been euthanized. The mother bear and her three yearlings had garnered attention in Nelson for their frequent presence in the community. Authorities deemed them a threat due to their habituation to humans and their habit of foraging in yards and trash.
Earlier this month, the mother bear, which had been relocated from Nelson and then returned, was put down. One of the yearlings, deemed unsuitable for relocation due to its poor health and limping gait, was also euthanized. The remaining two yearlings, a male and a female, were relocated but later resurfaced in Christina Lake.
While the female yearling has since moved away, the male continued to venture into residential areas and was considered unfit for further relocation attempts. The conservation service confirmed that the male yearling was euthanized, following provincial guidelines on human-wildlife conflict response.
Provincial wildlife biologist Garth Mowat noted that the bears had become overly accustomed to human presence, with evidence suggesting they had been consuming human food for years. The decision to relocate the bears was a final effort to encourage them to return to natural food sources and preserve part of the family unit.
Andrew Milne, from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, emphasized that euthanizing wildlife is a measure of last resort, acknowledging the emotional toll it takes on enforcement officers. Mowat highlighted the impact of drought conditions on berry crops in the region, leading to increased bear activity in search of food. Authorities are urging residents to eliminate potential attractants such as fruit trees, garbage, and bird feeders to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.