Looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, the Bowen Island black bear was caught raiding a Cowan Point bird feeder by Lucas Raycevick earlier this week. Lucas Raycevick

Conservation officer Simon Gravel confirms that there are at least two bears on Bowen. One has an ear tag, the other doesn’t, and there were two bear sightings five minutes apart in different neighbourhoods.

There are still plans to trap and translocate at least one of the bears because it’s become more comfortable with humans. Conservation officers are also often on the island trying to predict where the bear(s) will be, which makes the public’s co-operation essential. Please call 1-877-952-7277 every time you see a bear so they can track their movements. However, the municipality and RCMP do not need to be contacted unless there is a perceived threat or danger.

Cpl. Don Southern of the Bowen Island RCMP says “it would save much time and effort to both the municipality and the RCMP if wildlife reports were made directly to the conservation report line.”

Meanwhile, since it now appears Bowen is a destination for bears, Gravel says there will be steps to implement a BearAware program.