Conservation officers urge public co-operation as bear sightings reach near-record highs

As the hunt continues for a bear that broke into a house in Coquitlam, conservation officers say they have had to deal with public interference in their attempts to capture the animal.

The bear ransacked the house for food on Tuesday evening as a woman and her baby hid inside. It had become habituated to people, officers said, and didn't immediately leave.

The situation was complicated further when another homeowner tried to prevent officers from entering the house, B.C. Conservation Service Officer Todd Hunter said Friday.

The bear has been reported trying to get into other homes this week and has still not been trapped. Once it is, it will be killed. Relocation is often not an option, as bears will travel far to return to a place they've found food before. 

Until then, Hunter is reminding the public that interfering with the capture of a bear is an offence against the B.C. Wildlife Act that could lead to a criminal charge.

"We do see some resistance," Hunter said. "People have actually damaged one of our traps trying to close the door."

Bear sightings up this year

The average number of black bear sightings in B.C. each year is around 5,100, according to WildSafe B.C.

This year, the number of reported sightings is almost 7,500. The only other year where that number was higher was in 2017, when there were around 7,800 reported sightings.

Bears injure British Columbians every year, spokeswoman Vanessa Isnardy said in an email.

"It is important that we do not become complacent and allow them to become comfortable accessing foods within communities. We urge people to focus on addressing the root causes of these behaviours," she said. 

There are not many natural food sources available for bears right now, Hunter said, so this means it is imperative communities work together to avoid attracting bears.

This means keeping your yard and the exterior of your home tidy, Hunter said, including not leaving garbage and green bins along the side of your house. 

"You need to follow the Metro Vancouver bylaws with respect to making sure that you're taking your organics and separating them from your garbage," Hunter said. 

While bear sightings can be exciting to post on social media, Hunter says it shouldn't stop there.

"That's great for sharing information about seeing bears in the area. But if there's conflicts and serious matters, they need to be reported to our call centre," Hunter said.