The B.C. Conservation Officer Service has confirmed that the bear killed on August 9 in Maple Ridge is not the same bear that attacked a three-year-old girl playing on her family’s deck. Despite efforts to locate the culprit, officials are still searching for the black bear responsible for the attack.
According to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, the young girl was on the deck in her backyard when the incident occurred. A parent intervened and scared the bear away. The Maple Ridge RCMP initially believed they had located the bear and shot it multiple times to protect public safety. However, a necropsy revealed that the bear shot by the officers was not the one involved in the attack.
The girl sustained non-life-altering injuries and was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment. A team from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service specializing in predator attacks remains at the scene, urging the public to steer clear of the area.
Wildlife veterinarian Ken Macquisten explained that law enforcement officers, such as the RCMP, lack specialized knowledge in bear behavior compared to conservation officers. He highlighted the potential dangers of injuring a bear rather than killing it in one shot, as an injured bear could become more aggressive.
Lesley Fox, the executive director of The Fur-Bearers wildlife conservation group, emphasized the importance of accurate identification and evidence-based decision-making in such critical situations. She called for increased resources for conservation officers to handle wildlife incidents effectively.
Maple Ridge RCMP defended their actions, stating that they believed the bear they targeted was the one responsible for the attack. The department stressed that decisions to dispatch wildlife are never made lightly and are only done to prevent further harm.
Both the RCMP and the Conservation Officer Service reiterated their commitment to reviewing incidents to enhance officer training and equipment for future wildlife encounters.
