Black bear caught and put down after swiping at woman in Burnaby, B.C.

BURNABY, B.C. – A black bear has been caught and put down one day after taking a swipe at a woman in Burnaby, B.C.

RCMP and conservation officers were searching for the bear, described as aggressive, and warned the public to avoid hiking Burnaby Mountain until it was caught.

They say the bruin challenged a group of picnickers Monday on the mountain and then lunged at a woman trying to shoo the bear away from several backpacks.

The woman ended up with a scratch on her calf and conservation officers say the encounter shows the bear has lost its fear of humans.

The search was focused on several popular hiking trails around Burnaby Mountain, including the Trans Canada Trail.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says 15 bears have been destroyed in Metro Vancouver this year after becoming habituated to human food, meaning they could not be safely captured and relocated.

(The Canadian Press, CKNW, News1130)