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More garbage-seeking bears euthanized in B.C.

Click to play video: 'Okanagan community hoping to reduce conflict between humans, bears'
Okanagan community hoping to reduce conflict between humans, bears
As more habituated black bears are destroyed in the B.C. Interior, one Okanagan community is being praised for taking extra measures to reduce human-bear conflict. Shelby Thom reports. – Oct 25, 2019

Five bears were euthanized in Penticton, including a small family of three, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) announced on Thursday.

The bears were killed in the Wiltse residential neighbourhood of Penticton.

A COS spokesperson said euthanizing the bears was necessary for public protection, but still called it disturbing.

“It’s not something that we want to do,” said Tobe Sprado, COS inspector. “Our information is these bears, this one particular family group, a sow and two yearling cubs, have been there the last couple of months, but it appears they are becoming a little bit more determined in getting access to garbage.”

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Sprado said bears trying to access garbage isn’t limited to just this neighbourhood, “but in general everywhere. Especially garbage handling, and also we still have a problem with the fruit in people’s yards.”

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Click to play video: 'Rare white ‘spirit’ bear spotted with cub in B.C.'
Rare white ‘spirit’ bear spotted with cub in B.C.

Specifically, Sprado called the killings “extremely difficult, it’s emotional, it’s disturbing.

“With wildlife, when we do have to put them down, they don’t necessarily go down as quickly as we would like, but it’s a part of the job that we’ve been tasked to do for the safety of the public.”

Click to play video: 'Cubs orphaned after mother bear illegally shot and killed in B.C. Interior'
Cubs orphaned after mother bear illegally shot and killed in B.C. Interior

Conservation officers were forced to kill six bears in West Kelowna during the Thanksgiving long weekend.

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