Kelowna’s downtown bear cub euthanized

KELOWNA – A young black bear that stumbled into downtown Kelowna was euthanized over the weekend.

Wildsafe B.C. reports the bear, which had been attracted to the area by garbage, was destroyed. 

Global Okanagan says the malnourished cub was first spotted on the Paul’s Tomb trail on Knox Mountain around 9 a.m. Saturday morning, June 25. With a police escort, the bear then moved through downtown before conservation arrived.

At roughly 2 p.m., it climbed up a tree at Richter Street and Fuller Avenue and was tranquilized. The young bear then fell 40 feet and was later euthanized.

Conservation officer Ken Owens told Global Okanagan the bear survived the fall but had to be put down because of several complaints from residents who had reported it breaking into garbage bins.

Wildsafe B.C. recommends residents keep all garbage secured until the day of collection, avoid letting fruit from trees accumulate and pick fruit as it ripens and not to put out bird feeders when bears are active.

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