Two Kamloops residents have been fined $345 for intentionally feeding a black bear.
The duo were visiting Whistler when they were spotted feeding the bear on Callaghan Road. A witness saw food being tossed out of the vehicle’s window and the bear eating the food.
The above photo was taken and provided to the Conservation Officer Service, along with the vehicle description and licence plate.
The two were fined under the Wildlife Act.
Christine Miller with the North Shore Black Bear Society says this fine shows how serious of an offence it is to feed a bear human food.
“Bears are wild animals and if they get fed by people it’s likely they might start approaching people,” she says. “That could be very dangerous.”
Miller says bears are naturally wary and will not approach humans unless there is an incentive to do so – such as food. That kind of behaviour can also get the bears killed, as they would be deemed a safety risk to people.
She adds that this is a good reminder to people to keep their garbage and food waste locked up and to keep bird feeders locked away until mid-November when the bears begin hibernating.
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