‘Negative interactions’ with bears and humans on the rise: BCCOS

Negative interactions between bears and people are on the rise, with the BC Conservation Officer Service saying calls increased 100 per cent this past summer.

While officials say it’s a good sign that bear populations are doing well, interactions with people are resulting in many of the animals being killed.

Len Butler, the service’s deputy chief, says that’s a step taken when bears become conditioned to human food to the point they pose too high a risk.

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Aaron Hofman with the non-profit group Fur-Bearers says identifying communities where bears are being killed more often provides an opportunity to address the availability of garbage and reduce the number of deaths.

This comes as two people died in Alberta’s Banff National Park in a bear attack Friday.

Banff field unit external relations manager Natalie Fay says a response team trained in wildlife attacks was immediately mobilized but weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, leading the team to travel to the location by ground through the night.

She says the Wildlife Human Attack Response Team arrived at 1 a.m. and found two deceased individuals.

Fay says the response team encountered a grizzly bear displaying aggressive behaviour in the area, leading Parks Canada staff to euthanize it for public safety.