UPDATE, August 14 — Following a thorough reevaluation of evidence, acquisition of new evidence, and DNA analysis, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service has affirmed that the bear slain on August 9 is indeed the bear accountable for assaulting a three-year-old girl as she was playing on her family’s deck in Maple Ridge.
Authorities are currently on the lookout for the black bear that attacked the young girl in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Sunday, as it has been confirmed that the bear killed by the RCMP was not the culprit. The incident occurred while the girl was playing on the deck in her family’s backyard, prompting one of her parents to intervene and scare the animal away.
Maple Ridge RCMP reported that the suspected bear reappeared in the area multiple times on the same day, prompting officers to shoot it for public safety after it displayed signs of aggression. Subsequently, the bear fled into a wooded area after being shot. A necropsy conducted on the bear revealed that it was not the bear responsible for the attack.
The young girl sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was promptly taken to the hospital, as confirmed by the RCMP. A predator attack team from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service remains at the scene, urging the public to steer clear of the area.
Veterinarian Ken Macquisten expressed his lack of surprise at the mistaken identity of the bear killed, attributing it to the lack of expertise among RCMP officers regarding bear behavior compared to trained conservation officers. Macquisten highlighted that the caliber of bullets typically used by police is more likely to injure than kill a bear, potentially escalating the danger posed by an injured animal.
Lesley Fox, executive director of The Fur-Bearers wildlife conservation group, emphasized the importance of making well-informed decisions under pressure, stressing the need for proper identification and scientific methods in dealing with individual animals in such situations. Both Fox and Macquisten advocated for an increased presence of conservation officers to handle wildlife incidents effectively.
In response to the incident, Maple Ridge RCMP defended their decision to euthanize the bear, citing the need to prevent further harm or loss of life. The department assured that encounters with bears are rare for their officers but acknowledged the importance of reviewing such incidents to enhance training and equipment for future responses.
The Conservation Officer Service emphasized that predator attacks are of utmost priority, underscoring their collaborative efforts with law enforcement partners throughout the province.