On the evening of Aug. 20, Kitimat RCMP received a report a bear in a backyard at a residence on Kechika Street.
RCMP officers attended and tried for almost an hour to make the bear leave the yard.
However, the bear started to become aggressive towards the officers by lunging at them.
Through consultation with Conservation, it was decided that the bear would be terminated due to its aggressive behaviour and refusal to leave the area.
On Aug. 26, Conservation trapped one bear and relocated it. Two days later, two more bear calls on the Dyke Road and Angle Street had been reported and Conservation is actively working with RCMP regarding those instances.
Conservation has confirmed that garbage being left out is a main reason for the increase of bears, as well as low supplies of berries and fluctuating water levels in the river.
Kitimat RCMP are urging the public to keep their garbage locked away so the bears don’t have access to it.
If a bear is spotted people are advised to not approach it and to please report it to Conservation at 1-877-952-7277.
For further details concerning bear awareness please visit the link from the District of Kitimat at kitimat.ca/EN/main/residents/community-life/bear-aware.html.