A bear in a tree along the South Thompson River in the Valleyview neighbourhood in Kamloops, Tuesday, April 19, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Darcy Anderson
April 22, 2022 - 12:02 PM
A bear has quickly worn out his welcome in a Kamloops neighbourhood after showing up, and settling in, less than a week ago.
Darcy Anderson has lived in the Valleyview neighbourhood along the South Thompson River — where bears are a common part of the landscape — for years.
“We have bears every year,” he said. “They climb up the riverbanks. Last year we had a sow around with two cubs and we think this is one of her cubs.”
While Anderson typically keeps the bears away from the neighbourhood using his trained hunting dogs, he said this bear is exhibiting different and dangerous behaviour. Anderson put in a call to B.C. Conservation Officer Service this morning, April 22, and reported the problem.
“Several neighbours are calling in and reporting,” he said. “We want this bear removed. It's not afraid of anything. It is not afraid of dogs, in fact it turned on one my dogs. I used a bear banger to get it off my doorstep and he didn’t flick an ear.”
Anderson said the bear wanders through the neighbourhood most likely looking for food, while people and their kids are out on their driveways.
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“He got into one garbage can and since then I believe everyone is keeping their garbage locked up,” he said. “There aren’t fruit trees here, so I don’t why he is sticking around. This bear is bad, this is not a good situation.”
Anderson is concerned the bear will be sleeping somewhere and if startled by kids, might react violently.
A bear on the roof of a home along the South Thompson River in Kamloops's Valleyview neighbourhood, Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Darcy Anderson
The bear’s favourite sleeping spot is in a tree, six metres away from Anderson’s deck.
When asked if the bear has been given a name, Anderson said: “Yea, Pain-in-the-ass.”
He's hoping to hear back soon from a conservation officer.
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