Bear makes Sunday afternoon appearance in Vernon cemetery

VERNON – It wasn't a site Rory White expected to see on Mother's Day afternoon when he attended his mother's grave at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery.

"Initially I thought it was a dog," White said. "I first looked at it and I went, 'now just wait a second he's pretty big.'"

Then White realized it was a bear strolling through the cemetery among the tombstones.

"The bear was just sauntering along, just minding his own business," White said. "I guess just checking out any fresh flowers that might have been around."

A keen amateur photographer, White was glad he had his decent camera on him and snapped several photos as the bear scratched around just 50 metres from him.

White said he's lived in Vernon his whole life and isn't surprised to see bears outside the city, but thought it quite unusual to see one in a relatively populated place on a Sunday afternoon.

Within a few minutes, several other people had stopped to snap pictures of the bear from their vehicles. After about five minutes or so the bear wandered into the older tree-covered area of the cemetery.

"I'm sure the bear felt more comfortable [in the woods]," White said.

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