Police put down a bear in downtown Trail on Monday, stating that the bruin became habituated to eating garbage.
Shortly after 11:30 a.m., May 15, Trail RCMP officers were notified that a brown bear was walking down the sidewalk in the 1300 block of Cedar Avenue.
Officers followed the bear through downtown Trail to behind a building in the 1000-block of Victoria Street.
Police say the animal was stopped by a fence and attempted to return to the downtown core.
“The officers made the decision to dispatch the bear as it posed a threat to the public in the populated downtown core,” said Sgt. Mike Wicentowich. “The officers also believed it would continue to be a nuisance as it was likely habituated to humans, and their garbage as a food source.”
The death of this animal is another example of the reality that, “a fed bear is a dead bear.”
“Please secure your food sources and garbage as it will lure wild animals into populated areas,” Wicentowich said. “Competition can be fierce in the wild, and can force smaller bears into urban centers in search of food.”
He advises the community to maintain a respectful distance from bears if they are wandering in a public area.
For more information on how to reduce human wildlife conflict, and prevent animal dependence on human food source, visit Bear Smart-Province of British Columbia at: gov.bc.ca.
Read more: #Local News
Read more: #RCMP Briefs
Contact