A parent spotted a black bear wandering in a residential neighourhood near John Stubbs Memorial school in Colwood Thursday morning.
John Stubbs principal Garry Manhas said a parent saw the bear around 9 a.m., which was verified by military police who patrol Belmont Park. Another parent reported seeing big paw prints in the snow.
Erring on the side of caution, staff kept all students at the K to Grade 9 school indoors all day, and requested parents pick up their kids after school today.
B次元官网网址淲e kept the kids inside during recess and lunch,B次元官网网址� Manhas said. B次元官网网址淭heir biggest frustration was not getting to play in the snow.B次元官网网址�
Manhas called the B.C. conservation service, but officers declined to come out. B次元官网网址�(The conservation office) advised us to B次元官网网址榢eep your distance,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Manhas said. B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 very helpful.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 possible the bear wandered out of the nearby Royal Roads University forest. One report suggested the bear was seen in the Fort Rodd Hill area. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 seen again over the afternoon.
Manhas has seen bears while working in Sooke, but never at John Stubbs.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unusual for a bear to be out this time of year,B次元官网网址� Manhas said. B次元官网网址淥bviously it was looking for food, and the last thing we wanted to do was annoy one of these creatures while its looking for food.B次元官网网址�
A bear has reportedly been seen around Belmont Park since before Christmas, and the neighbourhood has had bear notice signs posted.
B次元官网网址淢Ps keep an eye out for (the bear) and we report it to the conservation office like any civilian would,B次元官网网址� said Sara Helmeczi, who speaks for CFB Esquimalt.
Conservation officer Peter Pauwels said his office has received a steady number of complaints from residents and MPs in Belmont Park about a black bear breaking into garbage cans.
B次元官网网址淭he opportunity hasnB次元官网网址檛 arisen to capture that bear,B次元官网网址� he said. Most complaints are reported at night. His office wasnB次元官网网址檛 alerted about the sighting near John Stubbs until later in the morning, he said.
B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 know about the sighting until several hours later,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淐ertainly if it had been near the school we would have come for sure.B次元官网网址�
Pauwels suspects the bear is living in the forest between Belmont Park and Fort Rodd Hill. It hasnB次元官网网址檛 been aggressive, he said, and it is strange for a bear not to be hibernating by now.
B次元官网网址淚f food is available they may stay up. It may have regular access to garbage at Belmont Park,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t really depends on the bear. Every year there are a few that go into a den late or not at all.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 the only bear causing concern for conservation officials between the West Shore and Sooke.
The bear the second wild animal seen on the West Shore near a school in a week. Last Thursday the principal of View Royal elementary said he spotted a cougar near a playing field.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
