Bear seen approaching cars near Kamloops prompts warning

A young, scruffy-looking bear that has been seen approaching cars just outside Kamloops, B.C., has prompted wildlife experts to urge passersby to stop feeding the animal because they feel sorry for it.

"It's fairly sad that there's still some people that don't know feeding wildlife is not only dangerous and poor for the animal, but it's also illegal to feed bears in B.C.," said Wildsafe B.C. coordinator Frank Ritcey in an interview with Daybreak Kamloops.

The organization says the young bear was photographed eating grass earlier in the month, about 12 kilometres outside of the city.

However, people, either through ignorance or just wanting to take a closer look, have apparently started feeding the bear. There are now reports of the bear stepping up to cars in the area, expecting to be fed.

Survival of the fittest

Ritcey says he understands if people's hearts go out to the bear, which appears small and skinny, but he says people must let the bear survive on its own.

"It's unfortunate because when these bears come out of hibernation, they do look really scruffy and they look like they're in rough shape, and they are because they haven't eaten all winter, and they're out eating grass and doing what they're supposed to do," he said.

"And when people stop, well-meaning, and they feed the bear, it's actually adding to a lot of problems for the bear and potentially for people because that bear, once it associates vehicles with food, it's going to start hanging around vehicles looking for its next handout."

If the bear becomes too used to being fed, and it gets aggressive approaching cars, conservation officers will have no choice but to destroy it, Ritcey said.

To hear the full interview with Frank Ritcey, listen to the audio labelled: Don't feed bears, warns wildlife organization