A bear peers out from a tree in Central Saanich on July 14. The bear was killed by a conservation officer as it had become habituated to residential areas.
WATCH: A bear was shot in a Central Saanich neighbourhood Friday afternoon after it fell asleep in a tree.
A bear was killed by a conservation officer Friday afternoon after it was seen walking through several streets and climbing a tree in Central Saanich.
The animal was first seen around 1 p.m. wandering around the Tanner Ridge neighbourhood. It made its way down several streets and properties, including one with a daycare, before it climbed a tree and fell asleep.
B.C. Conservation Officer Mark Kissinger said the decision was made to kill the bear as it had become habituated to residential areas. When Kissinger arrived, he was unable to get a safe and humane shot to kill the bear in the tree so the animal was tranquilized. It was then taken out of the tree and euthanized.
“This neighbourhood and this area has had sort of a problem with habituated bears over the last month so,” Kissinger said.
“Unfortunately, when these bears decide not to go back into a green space or the wilderness, they continue to be habituated, getting into garbage and showing itself during the day.”
Kissinger said the bear was a three-year-old male and about 80 pounds underweight, due to eating poor food and living in an urban area.
He added that people in the area should make sure their garbage is secure.
“Unfortunately, people who live around here don’t normally think there’s bears in this area. Pretty much anywhere in Vancouver Island we have bears and it’s all bear habitat,” Kissinger said.
Conservation officers said they have been busy with bear calls this summer on Vancouver Island. There have been more than 300 bear-related calls in the Greater Victoria area alone. Officials say a late berry season has led to a survival rate for cubs.
Alexa Huffman
