BC conservation officers say second grizzly bear captured in Bella Coola after attack
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BC conservation officers say a second brown bear has now been captured in Bella Coola, although it has not been established whether the animal was involved in the attack on an elementary school group last week.
Kevin Van Damme of the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) confirmed the development in an interview with CBC’s Ian Hanumansingh on Monday afternoon.
He said authorities would now stabilize the bear, assess its condition and collect evidence, including DNA, to determine whether it matches material collected at the site of the attack or aligns with witnesses’ accounts.
Van Damme said the capture occurred near the 4 Mile Subdivision, the area where the attack occurred and a location frequented by grizzlies.
An intensive search is underway for a female bear and two cubs near Bella Coola, B.C., after they attacked a group of schoolchildren, sending four people to hospital.
Earlier Monday, Another brown bear was trapped, the first since the search began following Thursday’s attack.
“The evidence is not conclusive that the captured bear was involved in the attack,” reads a facebook post From BCCOS.
It said the animal would be fitted with a GPS collar and relocated.
Van Damme says one of the first priorities in tracking bears is to establish where bears regularly hang out in the area. Teams track activity patterns, set baits in locations the animals frequently use, and then attempt to capture and immobilize them.
He said that the authorities have collected many types of evidence from the site of the attack.
This includes forensic evidence including tracks, bite marks, hair samples, and leaves on clothing, which will be used along with witness accounts to determine whether captured bears are involved.
As far as what will happen to any bears held responsible, Van Damme said it was too early to say.
“We will work with biologists to take next steps to understand and analyze why the bear did what it did,” he said, calling its behavior “abnormal.”
“We’ve never seen a bear come into a large group of people and be as aggressive as he was.”
Thursday’s bear attack in Bella Coola has reignited conversations about B.C.’s grizzly hunting ban. As Johnna Baylon reports, the BC Wildlife Federation is asking the government to consider removing it as the search for the bear continues.
The service says authorities continue to search for three grizzly bears believed to be involved in a Nov. 20 attack that left two people seriously injured and two others seriously injured.
It says the bear is still considered a threat to the public, and residents are asked to stay indoors and avoid a 4-mile area.
Samuel Schooner, elected chief of the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, B.C., says the nation has also launched an online fundraiser to support the families of the young children and teacher involved in the attack.
“We continue to ask for privacy for the victims; these are children and they deserve to be in a safe and comfortable environment with their families,” the statement issued Monday said.
‘Likely’ involvement of sow, two cubs: BCCOS
Three students and a teacher were hospitalized Thursday when the bear attacked a group of about 20 people, including teachers and Grade 4 and 5 students, in Bella Coola — a community about 420 kilometers northwest of Vancouver as the crow flies.
The group was on a field trip at the time and were having lunch.
Two were seriously injured and two others were seriously injured when a grizzly bear attacked a group of students and teachers in Bella Coola, B.C., according to emergency officials. Officials praised teachers for heroically protecting primary students. Correction: A previous version of this video stated that grizzly bear attacks have nearly doubled since the 2017 hunting ban. In fact, it is calls about human-grizzly relationships that have nearly doubled. The video has been corrected.
According to BCCOS, three bears – a grizzly boar and two cubs – “Chance” included Based on their investigation so far into the attack and witness accounts.
BCCOS Sgt. Jeff Tyer said there are few bears in the area and the goal is to safely trap the animals, collect DNA and work with wildlife veterinarians to determine if the captured bears are involved in an attack.
An RCMP helicopter is using thermal imaging to aid the search, and trail cameras have been deployed.
The search area has also been tightened for a few kilometers around 4 Mile subdivision.
Anyone with information or who wishes to report a bear sighting is asked to contact the Report All Poachers and Pollutants line at 1-877-952-7277.
