Did you hear a gunshot in the middle of the night last week?
A black bear was shot in a residential area of Garibaldi Highlands, and conservation officers are now asking the public to report any information.
The male black bear, who was about 10 years old and weighed 400 lb., was gunned down on Highland Way North sometime late during the night of April 19 or the very early hours of April 20, probably between 12:30 and 4 a.m., Conservation Officer Service Sgt. Simon Gravel told The Squamish Chief.
He said a resident spotted blood on the ground and followed the blood trail to discover a dead bear on a neighbour’s property. Police were informed and called the Conservation Officer Service.
“We managed to retrieve a bullet and confirm the cause of death,” Gravel said. “The bear was shot in the surroundings where we found the bear.”
To his knowledge, a bear has never been shot by a resident in Squamish, although similar incidents have occurred in Pemberton and other areas of British Columbia, he said.
“Discharging a firearm to kill a bear in a residential area raises a lot of concerns, and it’s against the law,” Gravel said. “We are obviously warning the public that this is not the way to deal with a black bear.”
The Conservation Officer Service’s investigation is continuing, he said. “We took residents’ statements and we are still investigating. We are asking any members of the public with information or if they heard a gunshot that night to call.”
Gravel said the Conservation Officer Service had received reports on other days of a bear rummaging for food in the neighbourhood where the shooting took place.
“This bear was very nocturnal and was known to push over garbage cans. There were some witnesses that saw the bear that night but no reports of threatening or aggressive behaviour.”
Bears are common in Garibaldi Highlands, he noted. “Many residents are very used to having a bear in the middle of the night walking by. In that neighbourhood, it’s just part of their lives.”
Usually, the office receives calls if bears are spotted during the day because people worry when the animals are out while children are walking to school, he said.
Gravel reminded residents to secure attractants now that bears are becoming active again.
Anyone with information about last week’s shooting is asked to call 1-877-952-7277.
