A grizzly bear has been relocated to a wilderness area outside of Invermere after it killed three miniature horses.
According to the Conservation Officer Service (COS), the bear was reported after a farmer discovered the incident.
Over the weekend, COs tranquillized and assessed the bear, with help from wildlife biologists with the Ministry of Forests.
“Every wildlife conflict situation is assessed individually and takes into account several factors, such as the risk to public safety and the animal’s ability to survive in the wild,” said COS officials.
The COs noted that no reports of aggression towards people or any historic conflict have been attributed to the male bear, and they decided relocation was the best option.
Officials detailed the likely migration path of the animal.
“This bear had likely followed a creek drainage out of the Rocky Mountains to the lower valley bottom to search for available food sources,” said COS staff. “The higher elevation natural berry crops were no longer available, due to the time of year and prolonged drought conditions in the late summer and early fall.”
The bear was fitted with a GPS collar and released in an undisclosed location outside of Invermere.
