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Kelowna  

Bear had to be killed

The bear cub that perused downtown Kelowna on Saturday had to be euthanized by conservation officers.

The animal caused quite a stir at the time and prompted pursuit by the Kelowna RCMP.

Spotted first on the Paul’s Tomb trail, the cub ended his excursion on Richter Street after climbing up a tree.

Conservation officers were forced to tranquilize the bear, causing it to fall out of a tree it had climbed.

In what Conservation calls the "non-bear smart community of Kelowna," the bear had become habituated to humans and conditioned to non-natural food attractants such as garbage and bird seed, forcing its euthanization.

Officers warn bears should never get their paws on human food, pet and livestock feed, or garbage. Bears that eat these foods may become aggressive towards humans or cause property damage.

To protect people, these bears may have to be destroyed, say officers.

Bears account for approximately 20,000 calls to the B.C. Conservation reporting line every year. Garbage is the number one bear attractant cited.

Moving the animals rarely works with bears, according to officers. Bears often return to their original home territory or become problem animals in other communities.

Relocated wildlife often fail to adapt to their new habitat and, as a result, may starve to death or be killed by the animals that already occupy the area.

Each year in B.C., nearly 950 black bears and 50 grizzly bears are killed due to conflicts between people and bears.

Managing bear attractants at home, work site or campsite can keep bears from being euthanized.

Click here to find out how to keep bears and people safe.



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