Black Bear Killed After Entering Hope Pharmacy With Cub, Officials Say

Lucas Tremblay

9/22/20262 min read

A black bear that wandered through a pharmacy in Hope, B.C., with her cub has been killed by conservation officers after wildlife officials determined she posed an ongoing public safety risk.

The pair entered the Pharmasave on Wallace Street at approximately 2 p.m. PT Sunday and spent about eight minutes walking through the store.

Employee Kara Kelso said staff initially did not realize what was happening when someone shouted that there was a bear inside.

“One of [the staff] yelled out, ‘Bear!’” Kelso said. “I immediately turned to say, ‘Yes?’ because that's my nickname.

“But no, there was actually a bear in the store.”

Bears Wandered Through Store Without Causing Damage

Kelso said she quickly cleared customers from the pharmacy and called for assistance while the mother bear and cub wandered through the aisles.

The animals spent some time near the cosmetics section.

“She checked out the makeup. We didn't have her shade of lipstick,” Kelso joked.

Despite the unusual encounter, Kelso said the bear showed little interest in staff or customers and did not damage the store.

“She did absolutely no damage, she was completely unengaged … and eventually she just strolled out the door and went on her way.”

Mother Bear Had Previous Conflict History

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service said the bears were later found in a nearby residential neighbourhood.

Both were tranquilized and taken for assessment.

Officials said the adult female was confirmed to be the same bear that entered the pharmacy and had a history of previous conflicts in the area.

Provincial wildlife biologists ultimately decided the mother bear would be killed while the cub would be released into a wilderness area.

“Bears that ... frequent populated areas and enter homes or stores are not candidates for relocation or rehabilitation, due to the risk to public safety,” the Conservation Officer Service said.

Advocates Say Bears Are Struggling to Find Food

The decision was met with sadness by local wildlife advocates.

Lydia Koot, chair of the Hope Mountain Black Bear Committee, said the region has seen unusually high numbers of hungry bears this year.

“We have had a huge amount of bears [this year], they're hungry because there's nothing in the forest, it's all dried up,” Koot said.

Large areas of wilderness around Hope burned during this summer’s wildfire season, while extreme weather has also affected berry crops and other natural food sources.

Koot said those conditions can push bears toward communities where other sources of food are more readily available.

“We have crabapple trees and mountain ash and green grass — and garbage of course,” she said.

Bears Face Added Pressure Before Hibernation

September is already an important feeding period for bears in British Columbia as they attempt to consume enough calories to build fat reserves before hibernation.

Lesley Fox of the wildlife advocacy organization The Fur Bearers said the Hope bears were likely searching urgently for food.

“Every day, they need about 20,000 calories to help them prepare,” Fox said.

She said the smells coming from businesses and residential areas may have drawn the mother bear into the pharmacy.

“No doubt there were some curious smells, and she was probably following her nose.”

Fox said residents can reduce the risk of encounters by securing garbage, removing fallen fruit and avoiding leaving pet food outdoors.

“By being good citizens, locking up our garbage, picking up fallen fruit, not leaving pet food outside … these are steps that we can take to coexist and create some space for these animals.”

The cub has since been released into a wilderness area, while the death of its mother has renewed discussion about how communities can reduce attractants and limit conflicts between people and bears.

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