Two bears were shot and killed Monday morning after fighting viciously in a Coquitlam driveway.
An Edward Street homeowner, near Minnekhada Regional Park, caught the battle between the two large male bears on video; they can be seen on their hind legs, clawing at each other, the ground underneath them spotted with blood.
"There was blood all over the pavement and bear fur scattered everywhere, quite a bit of it," said conservation officer Cody Ambrose.
Coquitlam RCMP and members of the Conservation Officer Service (COS) arrived at the home at about 10 a.m. They spotted one of the animals, which had a bloody face, in the front of the house. When they searched the area, they found the second bear in the back yard, and both were destroyed.
"The two bears were acting aggressively and it was of concern to the COS because then we had two injured bears in the neighbourhood," Ambrose said, adding the bears were not only fighting on the doorstep of a home but also didn't want to leave the area. "For public safety we needed to dispatch both bears."
Ambrose said it's normal for bears to assert their dominance in the wild but it was unusual for them to be doing it in a residential area and so close to a home.
He suggested the bears may have been fighting over a sow or over territory but since he didn't see a sow in the neighbourhood, "I'm leaning more towards territory."
The area near Minnekhada Regional Park is popular with bears given its proximity to the wild as well as to growing developments and blueberry fields. Ambrose said the house the bears were fighting in front of did not have garbage or other attractants outside.
Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Jamie Chung said police were on scene because of the bears' proximity to the house.
"We're there to ensure the public's safety is not at risk."
