After a spate of grizzly attacks across the province, B.C. Wildlife Federation members and member clubs are coming forward with accounts of changing grizzly bear behaviour, grizzly conflicts with humans, and attacks on livestock and humans.
If you are concerned about human-grizzly conflicts in British Columbia, meet with your MLA and insist on a return to science-based wildlife management.
Find and contact your MLA: Find MLA By Community | Legislative Assembly of BC
Send us your grizzly stories: communications@bcwf.bc.ca
Here is a sample of member experiences.
Bella Coola Rod & Gun Club President, Lawrence Michalchuk
The recent grizzly bear attack on Bella Coola school children and teachers was tragic, but it was also predicted and preventable. A decade ago, local bear expert, author, and safety trainer James “Gary” Shelton—author of Bear Attacks I and II and the Bear Encounter Survival Guide—warned that further attacks would occur without government action.
The grizzly bear population in the Bella Coola Valley has increased for several reasons:
- The progressive reduction and eventual elimination of the provincial grizzly bear hunt due to social pressure
- The deaths of older farmers in the late 1990s who previously killed approximately 20 grizzlies annually, preventing day-active and aggressive bears from becoming problems.
The result is an expanding and increasingly emboldened grizzly bear population. Combined with bear habituation driven by increased tourism, this has created a dangerous situation. Grizzlies are no longer afraid of humans and have become progressively more aggressive in their encroachment on human property. They have learned to dig under electric fences to access orchards and gardens, and within this year alone I am aware of at least nine residences and four vehicles that have been broken into.
Brian, BCWF member, Kootenay Region
I don’t leave the house at night without having a good spotlight, my shotgun or rifle, and my dogs as I’ve had several instances when I’ve encountered grizzlies in my yard or in my fruit trees. In 2020, I had a grizzly charge me while hunting in the mountains, I shot it and reported it to the COS. Two years ago I was out picking huckleberries near the end of august when a grizzly charged me, luckily my dog was with me and barked aggressively and the bear stopped at 20 feet, pounced in a circle, then left. It was a terrifying ordeal. The number of bear encounters and bad incidents are getting out of hand. We’ve had at least three attacks in the valley in the last few years where someone has been seriously injured. And now a person from the East Kootenay has died from complications of a bear attack. Grizzly bear behavior is changing, and the numbers are getting out of hand.
Creston Valley Rod & Gun Club, with support from the Lower Kootenay Band, the Trails Society, BC Dairy Association, and the BC Cattlemen’s Association
Over the past several decades—and particularly within the last ten years—the grizzly bear population in the Creston Valley has grown significantly. As a result, the community is now experiencing unprecedented public safety challenges and elevated risks to both people and livestock.
The recent mauling at the Wildlife Centre has had a profound impact on the community. This incident has not only shaken public confidence but has also prevented local schools and families from safely participating in educational programs and outdoor activities that have historically been an integral part of youth engagement and environmental stewardship.
In addition to this serious event, residents have reported numerous encounters that pose direct threats to personal safety, including bears charging vehicles on rural roads, approaching kayakers on local waterways, and stalking Yaqan Nukiy members. These incidents have left many people feeling unsafe in areas where they once felt secure recreating, working, and raising their families.
Farmers and Ranchers describe devastating losses
The agricultural sector is also suffering substantial losses. Ranchers and dairy farmers in the area are experiencing increased depredation year after year. One producer lost 14 cows this year alone to a grizzly bear, and last year the local dairy community lost 17 calves. These losses are financially devastating and emotionally distressing for families whose livelihoods depend on the security of their herds.
Current estimates indicate that more than 30 individual grizzly bears are utilizing the Creston Valley. Compounding the issue is the concerning trend of increasingly bold and aggressive behaviour. We are witnessing what appears to be generational, learned habituation among offspring of bears that have grown accustomed to proximity with humans. These bears are no longer merely unafraid of people—they are displaying stalking behaviours, defensive aggression, and, in some cases, lethal attacks.
Incidents in and around Bella Coola
Recent incidents include:
- A neighbour watching his two young children in the house had a grizzly opened a lever-handle door to enter his garage and cause a ruckus; he was forced to shoot the bear at close range in front of his kids.
- A disabled, elderly man had his cedar siding and plywood wall ripped apart and building contents ransacked by a bear, despite his installation of steel doors—an (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to prevent the bear from re-entering after it had broken through his regular door.
- Neighbours had their garage door destroyed by a bear who returned the next night and caused further damage.
- An elderly woman living alone had a grizzly break into her home, destroy her mudroom, and drag her freezer onto the lawn—all while she was inside.
- An older couple had both of their residences broken into by bears who completely devastated their homes and interior contents, so they ultimately decided to leave town.
- Local schoolchildren were forced to miss recess because grizzlies are near the playground, and who require RCMP supervision just to board their school bus.
These are only a few examples of what valley residents face on a regular basis. This is not “coexistence.” This is living under siege.
We want to be safe in our own community
With the elimination of grizzly bear hunting, Conservation Officers are now solely responsible for dealing with problem bears. Instead of generating revenue through sustainable wildlife management, the province now spends thousands of taxpayer dollars annually for COs to remove bears. By the time these bears are destroyed, they have already damaged property, threatened residents, or taught their cubs dangerous behaviours such as breaking into buildings and digging under electric fences. This reactive approach is failing, and we all know it. The growing number of close interactions make another attack inevitable.
If you are concerned about human-grizzly conflicts in British Columbia, make sure to meet with your MLA and let them know that hunting can be part of the solution.
Find and contact your MLA: Find MLA By Community | Legislative Assembly of BC
Send us your grizzly stories: communications@bcwf.bc.ca