The RCMP and the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) are investigating after a toddler was bitten by a black bear at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove on Monday.
The zoo was open Tuesday, however its bear enclosures were cordoned off.
BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) said paramedics were called to the scene shortly before 7 p.m. on Monday, including two critical care teams and an air ambulance.
It said one patient was taken to hospital in serious condition.
Langley RCMP said the victim was a two-year-old girl who somehow managed to get her hand through a fence into a black bear enclosure.
The COS said the girl was bitten on the arm, and that no bears will be destroyed as a result of the incident.
In a statement, Greater Vancouver Zoo animal care manager Menita Prasad said the facility was “deeply shocked and saddened by the accident,” and that staff’s primary concern was with the injured child.
“Barriers are purposefully put in place to maintain a safe distance between patrons and our animals,” said Prasad.
“We can confirm that the incident occurred at our black bear enclosure and that the child was bitten by one of the bears while the child was in an area that is not authorized for public access.
The COS and the Langley RCMP are both investigating the incident.