A woman was attacked by a bear in Maple Ridge on Thursday evening, June 12, in a backyard. The mother bear was shot, and Conservation officers are now looking for two cubs.
The victim was swiped on the side of the head by the bear, and was treated in hospital.
The RCMP destroyed the offending bear, which was still in the yard. It was a sow with two cubs, said the Conservation Officer Service.
COS have been on scene looking for cubs since early Friday morning, conducting vehicle and foot patrols, and are also deploying a drone in the search for the young bears. Provincial biologists and a local wildlife rehabilitation group have been aware of the orphaned bears, and are coordinating a response, added the COS.
They are asking anyone who sees or hears the cubs to call the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277. The shooting happened in the area of Abernethy and 224th Street.
“The decision to dispatch an animal by police is always made on the basis of whether it is potentially dangerous or suffering," said a statement from the Ridge Meadows RCMP.
"Given the nature of the call, including the injury sustained by the resident and the bear still posing a threat on the resident’s property, officers were forced to act in the interest of public safety and make a difficult decision."
"We continue to work with our BC Conservation Officer Service and municipal partners to educate the public and prevent further incidents such as this involving wildlife.”
The Maple Ridge Black Bear Society Facebook page reports the bear was getting into garbage outside the residence when the victim came outside, and was attacked.
The site contained numerous comments about the need for people to secure their garbage, and many posts repeated that the bear's death was a sad outcome.
The Ridge Meadows RCMP issued a press release providing general safety tips after recent calls involving close encounters between the public and wildlife.
In addition to the bear attack, they noted that on June 10, police responded to an incident involving an aggressive coyote and a resident, which resulted in the resident’s dog being bit.
While bear and coyote sightings are common in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, police are taking this opportunity to remind residents to stay vigilant and use caution. They say we all play a significant role in determining how wildlife will interact with humans, and educating yourself and your family can help prevent such encounters.
• Give wildlife space
• Don’t approach and don’t feed wildlife
• Keep dogs on leash and under control
• Keep all garbage secure
• Call 911 if wildlife poses a threat, or call the BC Conservation Officer Service (1-877-952-7277)
For more information, visit the City of Maple Ridge’s wildlife safety webpage.
