Conservation officers in Canada are asking the general public for assist after the physique of a grizzly bear was found floating in a British Columbia river.
This week, the province’s conservation service stated it was investigating the unlawful killing of the bear, after stays had been found close to the city of Squamish.
In a put up on social media, the conservation service stated it first obtained a tip from the general public on 10 August, when the lifeless bear was discovered floating within the Squamish River.
After a necropsy, investigators imagine the bear was shot between 7 and 9 August after which dragged into the river with a rope. The animal, identified to frequent the confluence of the Cheakamus and Squamish rivers, was relocated from the Squamish space three years in the past and had a yellow ear tag.
Lately, the well being of grizzly bear populations has been a priority within the province, the place the widespread looking of them over successive generations dramatically lowered their numbers. Habitat loss, as properly dwindling meals provides, have put stress on the apex predator.
British Columbia ended trophy looking of grizzly bears in 2017 amid mounting public pushback over the observe. First Nations can nonetheless hunt the bears for meals, social, or ceremonial functions, or as a part of an train of their treaty rights.
When it introduced the ban, the province estimated there have been 15,000 grizzlies remaining in British Columbia, though it conceded that figuring out the true inhabitants was tough.
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The conservation service stated that failing to report an unintended or defensive taking pictures of a bear was in opposition to the legislation. It’s punishable by fines of as much as C$100,000 (£60,000) and one 12 months in jail.