An entire bear family consisting of a sow and three cubs was euthanized earlier this week after they were found to have a history of getting into garbage and compost in Port Moody's Glenayre neighbourhood.
The four bears were chased into two trees by Port Moody Police in the Westmount and Mount Royal drive area Monday and, over a period of two days were captured and “humanely euthanized,” according to Conservation officer Sharlene Syer.
The bears had an “extensive history” of conflict in the areas, Syer said, and the sow had been teaching the cubs to get food out of residential garbage and compost bins.
Although the cubs were born this year, they wouldn’t have been good candidates for rehabilitation and relocation, Syer said, noting, “With that sort of teaching going on, the cubs would go back to the area where they got the most calories.”
The bears had also become accustomed to humans, and thus a source of potential conflict.
But humans may have caused the problem.
Syer said one of the problems was unsecured compost at a townhouse complex in the area and Syer said she worked with the city and residents to get it locked. “That has since been rectified — a little too late, I guess.”
Since April 1, five bears have been euthanized in Port Moody, four in Coquitlam and three in Port Coquitlam, with the Tri-Cities responsible for two-thirds of 3,743 conflict calls in the Fraser North zone. As well, two cougars were shot in Coquitlam and two cubs from Belcarra sent to Critter Care in Langley for rehabilitation.
The Tri-Cities is on par with last year when 15 bruins were euthanized.
