Bear that was being hand fed in B.C. neighbourhood ‘had to be destroyed’: officials

A black bear walks across the ground in Lyme, N.H., on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Cheryl Senter)

A resident of Chilliwack, B.C., is under investigation for “hand feeding” a mother bear and two cubs, according to officials.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said, in a social media post, that the person was feeding the three bears in a residential neighbourhood which created a public safety risk.

“As a direct result from this individual feeding the family unit of bears, the sow had to be destroyed, and the two cubs were taken to a rehabilitation center so they can be relocated next spring,” the BC COS wrote.

“Wildlife fed by humans lose their sense of fear and associate people as a source to get food, as opposed to foraging for their natural nutrients.”

Feeding bears is prohibited by B.C.’s Wildlife Act and penalties can include fines of up to $100,000 and jail time.

In 2023, a West Vancouver resident was fined $5,000 after being caught on video feeding a black bear in his backyard.

In another case, a woman who was feeding a family of bears in Whistler was fined $60,000 but had the amount reduced to $10,500 on appeal.

The Chilliwack investigation is ongoing.