Conservation officers forced to euthanize young Kelowna bear

It’s that time of year when bears are out of hibernation and wandering around again, which  can lead to an unfortunate outcome.

Conservation officers were in Kelowna’s lower mission neighbourhood Tuesday tracking a bear that was only a year-and-a-half old, after they determined it had been returning to area homes.  They found it, tranquillized it and then it was euthanized.

It was a stark reminder to residents of what can happen if they leave garbage outside their homes.

“When people are still keeping their garbage out, bears suffer the consequences of it,” said conservation officer Hailey Gooliaff.

1:56 Black bear spotted under Salmon Arm mobile home

More bears are being sighted visiting properties throughout the Okanagan recently. According to conservation officers, this can not only lead to dangerous outcomes for homeowners but the cubs themselves.

“Once a bear becomes food conditioned to unnatural food sources such as garbage they will continuously seek out garbage,” Gooliaff said.

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“Even if we tried to relocate them, if it’s unsuccessful they will find the closest community that has garbage available. So unfortunately in these situations, the bears need to be euthanized.”

1:48 How to be ‘bear aware’ in the Okanagan

When bears come out of hibernation they are looking for something to eat, which is why safety officers are reminding the public to put their garbage in bear-resistant bins and avoid having attractants near their homes.

“They have the ability to smell things from a very long distance,” said Lisa Lopez program manager for WildSafeBC. “They’re omnivorous, right? So they’ll eat different things. They’re not stuck to one type of food source.”

The fuzzy creatures are not only attracted to garbage but anything that may smell good in your yard, including your garden.

Kim Titchener, founder of Bear Safety and More, suggests removing berry bushes from your property or setting up electric fencing around apple and other fruit-bearing trees. “All of these things can bring bears in, but if they aren’t around, then bears will keep moving through,” said

Conservation officers also stress the importance of reporting any bears that may be sighted in your neighbourhood.