Several recent attacks by grizzly bears — including Thursday’s vicious encounter that injured 11 students and teachers near Bella Coola — are a reminder that conflicts between the animals and humans are increasing, the B.C. Wildlife Federation says.

The federation says grizzly-human conflicts have risen dramatically ever since the grizzly hunt was terminated in B.C. in 2017 “due to popular opinion, with no scientific rationale.”

“In the 10 years preceding the ban, calls to the Conservation Officer Service [BCCOS] concerning grizzly conflicts ranged from 300 to 500 a year, peaking between April and November. Since the ban, calls about grizzly bears doubled, to nearly 1,000 a year,” BC Wildlife said.

“When hunting pressure is removed, the number of problem grizzlies increases.”

B.C. Wildlife Federation executive director Jesse Zeman says conflicts with the predators will keep getting worse until the province reinstates “science-based wildlife management.”

“When the hunt was closed we predicted that over time human-grizzly conflicts would increase, but we also know that bears that learn bad behaviours teach those same behaviours to their offspring,” said Zeman.

‘The new normal‘

In addition to this week’s incident, several grizzly attacks have been reported around B.C. in the past two months, BCCOS says. These include attacks on hunters in both Fort St. James and Fort Steele within the same week at the end of September. On Oct. 12, two hikers were seriously injured in an attack near Prince George.

“This is the new normal,” the BC Wildlife Federation said.

However, officials do point out that Thursday’s attack was not typical.

Speaking at a media event Friday, BCCOS inspector Kevin Van Damme said these kinds of attacks — with this many victims — are extremely rare.

“In my 34 years of experience, I have not seen an attack like this with a large group of people,” he said.

Samuel Schooner, the elected Chief of the Nuxalk Nation, also says he has never experienced anything like this during his time in the community.

Van Damme says traps have been set in the area to catch the animal responsible for Thursday’s attack.

Residents increasingly uncomfortable with bear encounters

Locals near Bella Coola say they’re very used to interacting with bears in the area, and even from a young age, kids are taught how to be bear aware.

However, in recent years, residents say the encounters have become increasingly uncomfortable.

Shannon Lansdowne’s family runs a wilderness lodge, which recently had an unwelcome guest.

“The bear bust down the door,” Lansdowne said.

“The same thing happened to a grandma around the area.”

She says the animals have even encroached on her own home, sharing that she once saw a grizzly right outside of her five-year-old son’s window.

The BCCOS says that if you encounter a grizzly, stay calm and do not run. Instead, you’re advised to speak softly, and back away slowly, or use bear spray if it charges.

— With files from Charles Brockman, David Nadalini, and The Canadian Press.