BC

As many as nine black bears are patrolling a section of bush in BC's southern Interior, and that's making the residents of the Adams Lake Indian Reserve very nervous.

BC Environment Minister Terry Lake says two families of bears are in the area about 60 kilometres east of Kamloops.

He says all the bruins appear to have no fear of humans.

Conservation officers are concerned because a daycare and other community facilities are nearby and there's no way to tell if the bears could become aggressive.

The situation is being assessed further, but Lake says all nine bears may have to be destroyed.

He says the ministry does not want to take any chances.