An orphaned baby bear has been captured by conservation officers and is running free again in the forest approximately 10 kilometres outside of Lake Cowichan.
“It was under someone’s porch in town,” said conservation officer Scott Norris. “We tranquilized it and removed it.”
The bear was supposed to be euthanized but the drugs used to sedate it wore off earlier than anticipated by conversvation officiers.
When they opened the cage to bring it out, the bear bolted and escaped.
Norris said a decision was made not to fire shots after the bear because of the potential danger to the public that would have caused.
“[This] will give it one more shot to survive on its own outside of town and let’s just hope that it does,” he said.
“I guess it was meant to live.”
Norris emphasized the importance of residents keeping their garbage locked up and secure. He said that when bears become habituated to garbage it is not possible for them to be rehabilitated.
He added that while his team never likes to euthanize bears, if this orphan cub returns to town he and his team will have no choice but to kill it.