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The number of black bears killed by BC Conservation Officers plummeted in 2024

Fewer bears killed in 2024

The BC Conservation Officer Service says it put down the smallest number of black bears last year in over a decade.

Conservation officers killed 303 black bears in 2024, a 49.7% drop from the 603 black bears dispatched in 2023. It is the lowest number since the department’s predator statistics were first published online in 2011.

“While it is encouraging to see fewer black bear conflicts and black bears dispatched overall, the public continues to have a critical role to play to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Human-wildlife conflict is complex and cannot be solved by the COS alone,” said Cam Schley, Chief Conservation Officer of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.

“Attractants continue to drive a significant number of bear conflicts across BC. Residents, businesses and communities all need to do their part to secure attractants - such as garbage, pet food and birdseed - to help keep people safe and wildlife wild.”

Kamloops was the second-deadliest city to be a bear in B.C. with 11 bears killed in 2024, behind only Williams Lake with 13.

Other community bear death totals include; West Kelowna (6), Kelowna (5), Penticton (7), Nelson (8), Summerland (5), Vernon, (5), Trail (5), Coldstream (4), Okanagan Falls (4), Lake Country (3) and Grand Forks (3).

A full list can be found here.

Regionally, there were 68 bears put down in the Okanagan, 49 in the Kootenay and 60 in the Thompson Cariboo.

Last year also saw 10,000 fewer black bear conflict calls reported to the RAPP line compared to 2023, with 17, 345. Only 1.7% of the 17,345 calls led to black bears being killed.

In addition to the public making efforts to secure attractants, the BCCOS says abundant natural food sources like berry crops in 2024 contributed to less bears coming into communities, which played a part in less human-wildlife conflicts.



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