Injured B.C. bear put down after being fed watermelon: RCMP

COQUITLAM, B.C. – RCMP in Coquitlam, B.C., say an injured bear had to be put down after officers discovered that residents had been feeding it.

They say police and the BC Conservation Officer Service went to a neighbourhood in Coquitlam on Wednesday and found an injured bear surrounded by a large crowd.

Police say the bear had been fed watermelon and were told residents had also been giving it food for the past three days.

RCMP say conservation officers euthanized the bear after officers determined it had a history of “conflict behaviour” in the area, including going into garages to get “food rewards” such as garbage.

Photos provided by the RCMP show the injured bear lying on a lawn with a watermelon rind in front of it, and sitting in front of a fallen garbage bin in an open garage.

Conservation officer Danielle Bell says feeding bears is a “dangerous activity” and they should never be given access to non-natural food in order to keep the community and bears safe.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2024.