Officials are continuing their search for the black bear responsible for attacking a three-year-old girl in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. The bear that was killed by the RCMP following the incident was determined not to be the culprit.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service reported that the young girl was playing on her family’s back deck when the attack occurred. A parent intervened and scared the bear away. Despite efforts to deter the bear, it returned multiple times throughout the day, prompting the police to shoot it due to signs of aggression. The bear fled into a wooded area after being wounded.
An examination, known as a necropsy, was conducted on the bear by the Ministry of Environment and Parks, revealing it was not the bear responsible for the attack. The girl sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital.
A team from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service specializing in predator attacks remains at the scene, urging the public to steer clear of the area.
Wildlife veterinarian Ken Macquisten commented that it was not surprising that the wrong bear was euthanized, emphasizing that law enforcement officers like the RCMP lack expertise in bear behavior compared to conservation officers. Macquisten noted that the type of ammunition used by police officers is more likely to wound than kill a bear, potentially escalating the danger posed by an injured bear.
Lesley Fox, the executive director of wildlife conservation group The Fur-Bearers, stressed the importance of accurate identification in such situations and advocated for more conservation officers to handle wildlife incidents promptly and effectively.
Maple Ridge RCMP defended their decision to euthanize the bear, stating that public safety was their top priority. They acknowledged the significance of wildlife loss and assured that such decisions are not made lightly.
Both the RCMP and the Conservation Officer Service stated that they continuously assess incidents to improve training and equipment for officers to better handle encounters with wildlife.