Mother bear put down after being fed by Chilliwack resident, conservation officers say

The Conservation Officer Service (COS) says it is investigating a Chilliwack resident who had been feeding three local bears, leading to one of the animals being put down.

The individual was hand-feeding a mother bear and her two cubs in a residential neighbourhood, the COS says.

Also read: • Woman attacked by bear while walking dog in Squamish wildlife area • 2 B.C. hunters attacked by grizzlies in a week: BCCOS

“Feeding dangerous wildlife, such as bears, creates a serious public safety risk,” the service said.

“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.”

The mother bear had to be destroyed as a direct result of the feeding, according to the COS.

The two cubs have been taken to