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Cubs captured after mama bear killed in Whitehorse

Two black bear cubs have been captured after their mother was killed by conservation officers in the Copper Ridge neighbourhood of Whitehorse on Tuesday.

Bear cubs will be held temporarily at Yukon Wildlife Preserve

A mama black bear is released with her two cubs away from Whitehorse in early July. The bear returned this week and was killed by wildlife officers after it could not be deterred from feeding on garbage in the Copper Ridge neighbourhood.

Two black bear cubs have been captured after their mother was killed in Whitehorse Tuesday morning.

Yukon conservation officers captured the cubs Tuesday afternoon after their mother was killed by officers in the Copper Ridge neighbourhood.

After the mother bear was destroyed, officers began a search for her cubs.

"They are safe in our possession right now," said Ryan Hennings, a conservation officer with Environment Yukon.

"They will be examined by staff to determine their health and we are going to temporarily hold them at the wildlife preserve while we look for a facility to take them."

The bears had been relocated across the Yukon River two weeks ago after breaking into garbage bins but they swam back and returned to the residential neighbourhood.