This black bear sow and her cub were spotted on the Mission Creek Greenway.

Image Credit: Brenda Martinson/Global Okanagan (with permission)

BC conservation officers killed fewer black bears last year than any other in the past decade, but the Okanagan had the more “dispatched” bears than any other region in the province.

Conservation officers killed 303 black bears in 2024, down 49.7 per cent from 603 black bears in 2023, according to a press release from the BC Conservation Officer Service.

“While it is encouraging to see fewer black bear conflicts and black bears dispatched overall, the public continues to have a critical role to play to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Human-wildlife conflict is complex and cannot be solved by the Conservation Officer Service alone,” Chief Conservation Officer Cam Schley said in the release.

There were 17,345 calls about black bear conflicts, 10,000 fewer than in 2023. Only 1.7 per cent of the calls ended with a dead bear.

The deadliest region for black bears in B.C. was the Okanagan with 68 bears killed by conservation officers. Williams Lake had the most killings out of any single community with 13, followed by Kamloops with 11.

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There were five bears killed in Kelowna and Vernon, six in West Kelowna, three in Lake Country and seven in Penticton in 2024.

"In addition to the public making efforts to secure attractants, abundant natural food sources like berry crops in 2024 contributed to less bears coming into communities, which played a part in less human-wildlife conflicts," the service said in the release.

In August 2023, there were 151 black bears killed by officers, but in 2024 there were just 18.

“Attractants continue to drive a significant number of bear conflicts across B.C. residents, businesses and communities all need to do their part to secure attractants - such as garbage, pet food and birdseed - to help keep people safe and wildlife wild,” Schley said.

Peace Liard is in northeastern B.C. including the Peace River, and Fort St. John. Omineca follows the river by the same name in the central interior and includes Prince George, Fort St. James and Vanderhoof. Skeena is in the northwest of the province bordering Alaska and the Yukon and includes Prince Rupert, Smithers, and Kitimat. West Coast includes Vancouver Island and the south-central mainland coast.

South Coast has most of the Lower Mainland including Vancouver, Richmond, and Surrey. Kootenay follows the river by the same name with the Okanagan to the west and Alberta to the east. The Okanagan covers the Okanagan Valley including Vernon, Kelowna, and Penticton. Thompson-Cariboo is a large section of the Central Interior including the Fraser River, Kamloops, Williams Lake, and Quesnel.

Click here for more information about black bear protection efforts.

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