Three of the four members of a black bear family that had been living in and around Brackendale this year were killed in collision on Highway 99 recently.
The mother bear and two of her three cubs were struck and killed Friday (Sept. 14), Meg Toom, Squamish Bear Aware coordinator, wrote in an email to The Chief.
Conservation officers captured the surviving cub, a 40-pound male that was not injured in the incident, and transported him to Critter Care in Langley, "where he will spend the winter," Toom wrote.
It's been a challenging year for Squamish-area bears and those responsible for managing human-wildlife conflicts. Officers have shot and killed at least 10 bears this year after the animals had become habituated to non-natural food sources and were deemed a public safety threat.
Authorities have issued a number of violation tickets and dangerous wildlife protection orders to home and business owners for failing to properly manage garbage, failing to pick ripened fruit or failing to keep bird or pet food out of the reach of hungry bears and other wildlife.
It's not known how many have been killed in collisions with vehicles this year.
"Our community is like an obstacle course for bears," Toom wrote. "They get stuck within our neighbourhoods, attracted to and reliant on non-natural food sources that we leave out for them."
Toom on Friday (Sept. 21) said at least one other mother bear with three cubs has been spotted in and around Brackendale in recent days.
The Brackendale cub that was brought to the Critter Care animal rehabitation centre on Saturday (Sept. 15) has been named Noah by the staff. Angela Fontana, senior animal care supervisor at Critter Care, on Friday said he will likely stay at the centre this winter before being released in the spring - most likely in the Squamish area.
Critter Care officials are asking Squamish-area residents to "sponsor" Noah by providing monetary and/or donations of food items such as salmon to support his care at the facility.
"We had a bear from West Van last year in which the whole neighbourhood got together and sponsored him," Fontana said. "If they do it as a group, they would get a certificate saying that they've sponsored him."
For information about making a donation, visit www.crittercarewildlife.org or phone the centre at (604) 530-2054.
To report a bear sighting or other wildlife-related incident, phone the Ministry of Environment's toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
