Terrace conservation officers relocated a Spirit bear far into the wilderness to keep it away from human residential areas.

The bear got into a freezer situated outside a cabin in Rosswood, a small rural community north of Terrace, said Tracy Walbauer of the Terrace Conservation Officer Service.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not sure if he actually fed on anything in the freezer, but there was fish in the freezer and then we intervened immediately,B次元官网网址� he said.

Conservation officers moved the bear about 50 km further into the wilderness.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 still within its home range, so it could work its way back, but its got a big home range,B次元官网网址� Walbauer said.

Walbauer said the bear is about 15 years old and has likely roamed the area for years.

B次元官网网址淲e believe itB次元官网网址檚 probably a 15-year-old bear, maybe 16 years old, based on his size, his teeth, and reports of a big Kermode bear in the area for that long,B次元官网网址� he said, noting that the bear was large. B次元官网网址淚t was a big bear for sure. Probably 350 lbs. to 400 lbs.B次元官网网址�

Spirit bears, also known as Kermode bears, are black bears with white fur resulting from a rare genetic mutation. They are primarily found in northern B.C.

Because Spirit bears are rare, conservation officers are far more likely to relocate them instead of killing them when they become too close to humans.

B次元官网网址淲hen we catch them, we immobilize them, we look at them, make sure theyB次元官网网址檙e in good shape, thereB次元官网网址檚 no injuries, thereB次元官网网址檚 no abscessed teeth or anything like that, and if theyB次元官网网址檙e a candidate for being moved B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 what we do,B次元官网网址� Walbauer said. B次元官网网址淓specially with Kermodes. We donB次元官网网址檛 do that with black bears. Conflict black bears we typically dispatch.B次元官网网址�

jake.wray@terracestandard.com
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