The BC Conservation Officer Service is investigating after a black bear attacked a man in Castlegar on Monday evening. They say around 8:30 p.m., the bear bit a man sitting outside his home. His injuries were not life-threatening.
Conservation officers attended the scene and interviewed the victim. They are now trying to trap the bear due to public safety concerns. They said any bear that is captured will be assessed to determine next steps.
They added that bears become more active as fall approaches because they need to find food and store fat in advance of hibernation. Drought conditions, wildfires, and poor berry crops may have reduced natural food availability.
Bears may be travelling further and looking in novel places for sustenance, making it important to not give bears a reason to linger in communities, they added.
