A bear was destroyed in Elkford on Monday – the first to be shot in the Elk Valley this year after repeatedly feeding from garbage and showing no fear of humans.

Conservation officer Frank de Boon said the decision was made to destroy the two or three-year-old male black bear after residents in the Morrissey Crescent area reported it had been feeding from garbage bins and sleeping in backyards for the past two weeks.

It had also been seen in Nashton Crescent, Elk Street and Natal Drive. There was also an unconfirmed report that it had entered someone’s home.

De Boon said: “It was the consistency of the complaints in that area, the fact it has been there for quite a while. It was obviously conditioned to human food and it wasn’t afraid of humans anymore.”

The bear had climbed a 40 feet tree in Morrissey Crescent and a crowd gathered as De Boon spent around 45 minutes getting a clear shot, using rubber bullets to get the bear to move to a place where he could shoot it without risk of the bullet hitting someone else below.

The bear was killed instantly but the body became lodged in the tree, and a man lift had to be brought from a nearby construction site to remove the bear.

Bear Aware coordinator Kathy Murray said the shooting could have been prevented if residents kept their garbage secure.

“I know in Elkford they have large garbage bins and people don’t want to take them inside, but if they are outside, bears will recognize them as fast food.

“Something people can do if they have any really smelly leftovers like chicken bones is wrap them in a ziplock bag and freeze them to stop any odours.”

De Boon said it is rare for bears to be shot so early in the year.

“There has been a high number of reports of bears in towns around the Elk Valley in the last three weeks, although it looks like they are starting to move back up the mountains now it is greening up.

“With camping season coming in, it’s even more important that campers are careful about not leaving garbage and food in the backcountry, as that can be the bears’ first taste of human food and attract them into town.”

Editor's Note: Please click here for more information about managing attractants at your home.