A West Kelowna business was charged after six bears were euthanized within three days of continually throwing trash in an area around Lake Okanagan Resort.
Conservation officer Jeff Hanratty said officials were forced to put down three bears on Sunday, one on Monday and two on Tuesday for safety reasons.
“We had a group of bears accustomed to unnatural food sources and conditioned on foods that had become a threat to the public,” Hanratty said.
“We had a witness who was charged twice by the black bears, we had bears on balconies that had access to garbage and food, and there was a report of a bear pushing against a window.
“So these bears were a high risk to the public and as a result the bears were destroyed.”
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Hanratty said COs had no choice but to shoot the bears. If the bears had been placed in their natural habitat, there would be a very good chance they will return.
As of June this year, 97 black bears have been euthanized by the BC Wildlife Service across the province, largely for public safety reasons.
“The problem with bears who have access to unnatural food sources is that they can become food conditioned,” said Meg Bjordal, coordinator for Wildlife BC Okanagan.
“Once they are food conditioned they can get used to people very quickly, which actually starts them associating people with food, and then they start to tolerate people in greater proximity than both humans and them Bear is safe. “
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Hanratty said the West Kelowna business is being prosecuted and a dangerous wildlife protection order has been issued.
Conservation officers bring charges under the Wildlife Act against anyone who attracts dangerous wildlife. It’s a $ 130 ticket to attract dangerous wildlife.
The public is encouraged to report dangerous wildlife to the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
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