A small visitor caused a big stir in downtown Kelowna today.
A bear cub wandered the streets for several hours before being tranquilized this afternoon, falling 40 feet from a high branch on a tree.
The young, malnourished bear was first spotted on the Paul’s Tomb trail just before nine this morning, before moving to other areas in and around downtown.
RCMP followed the bear for sometime, making sure residents were safe, before Conservation Officers were able to arrive.
They caught up with the bear just after 2 p.m., and it subsequently climbed up a tree at Richter Street and Fuller Avenue.
Conservation Officer Ken Owens says the bear survived the fall, but was euthanized after they determined it was the subject of several calls from residents in previous weeks, who had seen it break into people’s garbage bins.