The BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) says it has euthanized a black bear that attacked a man in Mission earlier this week.
The initial incident started around 4 a.m. Monday when the victim woke up to his dog barking at something outside his home, the Ministry of Environment and Parks told 1130 NewsRadio.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!When he went outside to figure out what was going on, the man saw the bear in his backyard.
He tried making noise to scare the animal away, but the bear ran towards him and swatted his arm, leaving him with non-life-threatening injuries.
Conservation Officers responded, but the bear had taken off by the time they arrived.
Officers then placed traps and trail cameras in the area in hopes of finding the animal.
In an update Wednesday, the BCCOS said a sow was captured near the attack site on Tuesday.
“It was identified as the offending bear through victim and witness descriptions, as well as physical evidence,” the service said.
“The bear was also determined to have a history in the area, displaying behaviour of no fear of humans.”
Two other bears were caught in the area on Tuesday.
“The BCCOS investigation concluded these bears – determined to be yearlings – were not involved in the attack and had no history with the BCCOS,” it said.
Monday’s incident follows another last week, in which police officers tracked, captured, and released a black bear seen wandering around Commercial Drive and Grandview Highway in East Vancouver.
The BC Conservation Officer Service is reminding residents that bears are active this season, and those visiting an area prone to bear activity should take precautions.
It says B.C. is ‘bear country,’ and if you see one, stop where you are, stay calm and never run away. As well, all bear encounters should be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
—With files from David Nadalini and Emma Crawford