Relocation won’t be an option for the grizzly bear roaming on Texada Island.
That is from the BC Conservation Officer Service in an update Friday on the ongoing situation of the bear, who has been spotted by Island residents in a series of incidents for nearly a month.
The latest incident with the bear took place on Tuesday, where the service received a report of the bear chasing livestock in the Crescent Bay Road Area.
Related: Grizzly Bear seen chasing livestock on Texada Island – My Powell River Now
In the update, the service says no livestock were attacked by the bear, with no traps set and officers not actively pursuing the bear at this time.
They say because of the high level of conflict history, with complaints about public encounters, aggressive behaviour, and property damage, the bear is not a candidate for relocation.
“Bears that no longer fear people are not candidates for relocation or rehabilitation, due to the risk to public safety,” said BC Conservation Officer Service.
“These are difficult decisions, but people’s safety is always the top priority. Conservation officers will relocate bears if circumstances allow. In this case, it would not be in the interest of public safety to relocate the bear a third time.”
Officers say the bear was relocated twice in September last year to remote habitats, as a way to avoid conflict with people, resulting in an ear tag being placed on the bear.
The first relocation happened in Gibsons on September 5, while the second was in Sechelt on September 27. Officers say both times led to the bear coming back to urban areas within weeks.
This year, the bear spent several days in Powell River before moving to Texada, resulting in multiple incidents.
These include breaking into fishing boats at marinas to access bait, displaying aggressive behavior by stalking two residents walking on a trail, stalking a resident walking home with her horse and dog for half a kilometer, and several sightings near a school, store and farms.
Officers add if more behaviour from the bear happens and threatens the safety of the public, they will respond to the situation.
