Authorities are continuing their search for the black bear responsible for attacking a three-year-old girl in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Following the incident, a bear that was shot by the RCMP 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. The girl’s parent intervened and scared off the bear.
Despite efforts to deter the bear, it returned multiple times, prompting the police to shoot it as a precaution due to its aggressive behavior. The bear fled into a wooded area after being wounded.
A necropsy conducted on the bear revealed that it was not the bear that had attacked the girl. The child sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A team from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service specializing in predator attacks remains at the scene, urging the public to avoid the area.
Veterinarian Ken Macquisten expressed that it was not surprising that the wrong bear was killed, attributing it to law enforcement officers not being bear experts like conservation officers. Macquisten highlighted the potential danger of injuring a bear rather than killing it, as an injured bear may pose a greater threat.
Lesley Fox, the executive director of The Fur-Bearers wildlife conservation group, emphasized the importance of accurate identification in urgent situations involving wildlife. Both Fox and Macquisten advocated for an increased presence of conservation officers to handle wildlife incidents effectively.
Maple Ridge RCMP defended their decision to dispatch the bear, citing public safety concerns. They acknowledged the significance of wildlife conservation and assured that such decisions are made with careful consideration.
The incident underscores the need for collaboration between law enforcement and conservation authorities in addressing wildlife encounters promptly and effectively.