A B.C. family out for a weekend hike stumbled across a disturbing scene on Sunday: A dumpsite of animal parts.
The grim discovery in B.C.’s Shuswap region, near Anglemont, included dozens of bear paws.
“Shocked … to be entirely candid,” North Shuswap resident Brandi Hansen told Global News.
“I was shocked, then disappointed and disheartened to think that an individual would be responsible for this.”
Hansen said “upon taking a closer look, we saw some fur, some paws that was declawed with fur still on them, there were other ones with the skin … hide removed … It was paws upon paws.”
The parts were dumped in a ditch, which, according to Hansen, is part of the neighbourhood’s water supply system.
“It looked like from a distance … human hands. Once bears are skinned, it has a really similar look to it, it’s almost uncanny.”
After talking to community members who live around her, Hansen says residents believe it’s the work of poachers.
“From the locals, the common feeling is we think it’s poachers. We don’t know anyone in the area that would do that.”
The BC Conservation Service has not responded to interview requests, but have issued statements over social media.
They said, “The BC Conservation Service is investigating a report of a disposal of wildlife parts, including several bear paws, near Anglemont. Conservation Officers attended the site and collected evidence.”
And that “The B.C. COS is requesting assistance from the public to help identify who may have disposed of the parts.”
Anyone with possible information is asked to call the ‘report all poachers and polluters’ hotline with the BC Conservation Officer Service.