By Greg Fry

Problem bear euthanized after found going yard-to-yard in Valleyview

Jun 7, 2018 | 12:03 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Sahali roaming black bear that had generated multiple public sightings the past week or so has been euthanized by the Conservation Officer Service.

Sgt. Kevin Van Damme says the animal was tranquilized in a Valleyview backyard Tuesday afternoon and later euthanized.

He says the bear was not far from a school and from children who were headed home from school.

“It was a young bear, probably a three year old bear, that had a poor coat. The bear had quite a scruffy coat and not a healthy, sleek coat that we see with some of our bears that are not getting into food and garbage.”

Van Damme adds officers determined that the bear was likely the same animal who had been going through garbage in Aberdeen last year and evaded capture.

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“We see this often with bears. Once they get a taste of garbage they just increase their efforts and their presence in the community and start to do this daytime activity going house-to-house and it becomes a dangerous situation.”

While putting down a bear is difficult to do, he says experience and research shows relocating bears doesn’t work, noting they’ll eventually return.

“And if it returns, (the CO Service is) liable for what that animal does. There’s no other solution.”

As for the other bear generating complaints in the Aberdeen area, Van Damme says they’ve received no reports of sightings since Tuesday.

WATCH: This video of the bear was taken on Saturday and contributed to CFJC Today by Sajeesh Soman