Bear killed after days of terrorizing hikers in western Canada. Two women were bitten
A bear that terrorized hikers for weeks in western Canada has been killed by British Columbia’s Conservation Officer Service.
The bear had been linked to two attacks on women, “as well as numerous incidents of charging people,” the agency reported in a Facebook post.
A Predator Attack Team killed the bear June 14 after deeming it a risk to public safety and “not a candidate for rehabilitation or relocation.”
“Two yearling bears were also located in the vicinity of the attack site,” officials said.
“In consultation with Ministry of Forests wildlife biologists and the provincial veterinarian, the yearlings — which were healthy and not the subject of any reports of aggressive behavior — were left alone.”
The hunt began June 13, after a woman reported “she was charged and bitten by a bear” while walking in the Riverside Wetlands trail. Her injuries required hospitalization, officials said. The trail is near Pemberton, about 95 miles northeast of Vancouver.
It happened not long after another woman reported she and her dogs had “rounded a corner and ran into a bear” in the area.
“As the dogs tried to chase the bear away, it lunged at the woman, biting her on the foot,” conservation officers reported. “The woman yelled at the bear and managed to scare it away and was not seriously injured.”
Both attacks happened to hikers who were accompanied by unleashed dogs, investigators say.
“It is not unusual for bears to be provoked by dogs running ahead along a trail or in the back country, which can increase the risk of an attack on a person,” the conservation service reported.
“It is also illegal to let dogs chase or harass wildlife. The COS strongly urges the public to take precautions when in bear country, including leashing their pets, carrying bear spray and traveling in groups.”
The size of the bear killed was not released. Black bears in Canada weigh between 125 and 600 pounds on average and can live more than 25 years, according Backcountrycanadatravel.com.
This story was originally published June 15, 2022 at 9:08 AM with the headline "Bear killed after days of terrorizing hikers in western Canada. Two women were bitten."