Hundreds of bears are being killed every year in B.C. by the provincial Conservation Officer Service (COS), an 害羞草研究所渦nacceptable害羞草研究所� amount, according to Aaron Hofman, director of advocacy and policy at the The Fur-Bearers, a wildlife charity that aims to protects fur-bearing animals.

Hofman was reacting to the decision to put down a female black bear after it walked through downtown Langley on Sunday, Sept. 24.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e looking at a broken system where this is the status quo,害羞草研究所� Hofman told the Langley Advance Times, 害羞草研究所渨here hundreds of bears are being killed every year.害羞草研究所�

Hofman pointed to posted online that show officers killed 151 black bears in August, a sharp rise compared to the next highest August in 2011, when 91 bears were killed.

Hofman said a 害羞草研究所渃ombination of factors害羞草研究所� is to blame.

害羞草研究所淭he impact of the fires and drought this summer might be pushing bears into more urban areas,害羞草研究所� he suggested.

害羞草研究所淎nd then of course, more preventable things, like municipalities not having proper bylaws in place, not having effective waste Management programs, such as wildlife resistant garbage bins.害羞草研究所�

Hofman is calling for a tougher approach to keep people from feeding wild animals, something that was cited as a possible factor in the Langley incident.

害羞草研究所淲e need to see enforcement,害羞草研究所� Hofman commented.

害羞草研究所淲e need to see bylaws at the local level, but we also need to see the COS taking a stand against wildlife feeding by issuing tickets. We see disproportionate numbers of bears being killed versus the number of tickets that are being issued. We really do need to see the COS take more preventative measures.害羞草研究所�

Langley Advance Times has reached out to COS for comment.

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In an unsigned statement issued in response to a previous query, COS said the bear had been relocated from Coquitlam in mid-August, but returned to a 害羞草研究所渉igh-density urban setting only weeks later.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淒uring this time, conservation officers also received multiple reports of this bear accessing non-natural food sources, such as garbage. In addition, another report was received alleging this bear was being fed by people. The COS is actively investigating these feeding allegations.害羞草研究所�

COS stats show seven bears were 害羞草研究所渢ranslocated害羞草研究所� that month, the most since 2012, when nine were relocated.

Multiple social media posts tracked the movement of the female bear, who was seen walking near near the Home Depot hardware store, a motel, and the Willowbrook shopping centre in downtown Langley before she was captured in a residential building害羞草研究所檚 visitor parking, around 11:30 a.m.

Resident Allie Wilkinson recorded the capture on video.

害羞草研究所淚 actually just feel kind of bad for her,害羞草研究所� Wilkinson commented. 害羞草研究所淚 mean, she was just looking for somewhere to go, for something to eat.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t just seems so sad because watching the videos, she was just wandering through the parking lot, coming in the backyard. She was just doing bear things.害羞草研究所�

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