Thank you to everyone who signed! The bear is saved! The bear was never caught, the traps were removed, and the City of Coquitlam did everything recommended in the petition!
On August 29th, 2020, just after 11am, a curious bear lightly tapped a jogger on her leg. The woman was not at all hurt. The bear showed no aggression, and moved on once she left.
The conservation officers in British Columbia have set a live trap to catch and possibly kill the bear! Please ask that the bear be relocated instead!
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/black-bear-coquitlam-runner-
1.5705377
A caller from Coquitlam phoned in CBC Radio to suggest that the BC Conservation Officers obtain a Karelan Bear Dog to haze, rather than have officers kill nuisance bears. Hazing works for bears in other areas.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/checkup/are-we-doing-enough-to-protect-canada-s-wildlife-1.5240848
Killing bears, as the caller pointed out, is ineffective. Each bear killed leaves room for another to move in. Lethal removal does not address the attractants. Bears who are "repeat offenders" only routinely come back because there is something to come back to.
Killing animals in an urban area can be risky and traumatic to the public. If one particular bear must be removed, then relocation along with hazing is preferred.
One attractant may be from green bins that are put out in the morning, and are not picked up until after noon. The caller suggested the city pick up the bins right away.
Please consider a 24/7, humane, non lethal bear education program and strategy. Here is a link to an Ontario bear rehabilitation centre that holds this kind of program. www.bearwithus.org
Update #23 years ago
Thank you to everyone who signed! The bear is saved! The bear was never caught, the traps were removed, and the City of Coquitlam did everything recommended in the petition!
Update #13 years ago
THANK YOU, THIS PETITION IS A SUCESS! THE BEAR IS SAFE! Here is their response. Thank you for the petition regarding the recent human-bear interaction on the Coquitlam Crunch. I am able to share with you that I spoke with the Conservation Officer Service (COS) yesterday and they have now removed the bear trap. The bear was not captured and the upper trail will continue to remain closed until at least next Tuesday for the safety of park users as well as the bear.
