Body of illegally killed grizzly bear discovered in Squamish River
Conservation officers are looking for information that could lead to a conviction for the illegal killing of a grizzly bear.
The BC Conservation Officer Service (BC COS) shared information about the sad discovery with the public on Wednesday, August 30. According to the service, a grizzly bear that had been relocated from Squamish in September 2020 was found dead in the Squamish River a couple of weeks ago.
On August 10, the COS got a report from the public about a grizzly bear that had apparently been illegally killed and was found floating in the Squamish River. The bear had a yellow ear tag and was known to frequent the area where the Cheakamus River and the Squamish River meet.
A necropsy showed that the bear had been shot and a rope was tied around it in an effort to drag it to the river for disposal. Conservation officers think that the animal was shot sometime between August 7 and August 9.
A picture of the grizzly bear from the BC Conservation Officer Service/Facebook
Now, the COS is asking for the public’s help. Folks with information related to the investigation are asked to call the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line at 1-877-952-7277.
Callers may stay anonymous and COS says there are reward programs available for information that leads to a conviction.
“It is an offence under the Wildlife Act to kill a grizzly bear, as there is no open season to hunt grizzlies,” said COS. “It is also an offence to fail to report an accidental shooting or defensive shooting of wildlife.”
If found guilty on a first conviction, an accused can be fined up to $100,000, imprisoned for a year, or both.