Mother bear shot and killed after repeatedly getting too close to Cote First Nation homes

Multiple complaints about a bear wandering too close to homes on the Cote First Nation led up to conservation officers killing the bear, according to a provincial government official.

The bear, which was the mother of three now-orphaned cubs, was displaying aggressive behaviour over a period of several weeks and became a safety concern, said Charles Lees, provincial wildlife manager for the province.

"Our focus is on trying to find a rehabilitation option [for the cubs]," said Lees.

If there is no suitable home to rehab the cubs or provide care for them, they may have to be put down.

Lees said the public had assisted in capturing the cubs after the mother had died. Two of the cubs were captured. The third was in a tree when conservation officers attempted to lure it with the scent of the mother's severed paws.

"It's certainly not something that we would do on a regular basis," Lees said of the methods used.

He said the government generally doesn't kill animals in these situations. Usually the animals are trapped and then removed from the situation.

"Once bears associate food with humans, they become a nuisance and we have to deal with them and it gets more tricky," Lees said.