Fewer black bears put down
BC Conservation Officers are reporting 2025 saw the lowest number of black bears put down in more than a decade.

Photo: File photo

BC Conservation Officers are reporting 2025 saw the lowest number of black bears put down in more than a decade.

BC Conservation Officers are reporting 2025 saw the lowest number of black bears put down in more than a decade.

Officers dispatched 178 black bears and euthanized 33 last year, for a total of 211 – a 65 per cent drop from 2023 , said a post in the BCCOS Facebook page.

This is also the lowest overall number since the BCCOS predator statistics were first published online, in 2011.

The BCCOS has updated its terminology to better reflect the response taken by officers.

‘Dispatch’ refers to a bear killed for public safety reasons, such as a human-wildlife conflict, while ‘euthanize’ refers to a bear killed for welfare reasons, such as an animal critically injured by a vehicle.

“While it’s encouraging to see the number of bears dispatched continue downward, we know that many conflicts are preventable. Officers continue to work collaboratively with and engage communities, organizations and businesses on public education and outreach to help keep people safe, and wildlife wild,” said BCCOS Chief Cam Schley. “We also hope this shift in reporting outcomes is more transparent for the public, whose trust is critical to serve our communities.”

Last year also saw the fewest black bear calls reported to the RAPP line since 2011, with 13,672. In 2023 there were 27,896 black bear reports.

“A phenomenal berry crop for several varieties across the B.C. Interior last year may have contributed to fewer bears coming into communities,” said provincial large carnivore specialist Garth Mowat, with the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “Abundant natural food sources often result in fewer conflicts between bears and people.”

Officers across the province continue to work collaboratively to increase awareness and education around the importance of securing attractants – such as garbage, pet food and birdseed – to help mitigate human-wildlife conflicts.

For more tips, visit WildSafeBC. Black bear statistics, including a 2025 breakdown by community, can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2rmmuw3d.