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Vancouver residents were quite surprised to see a young wayward black bear wandering through Gastown on Wednesday afternoon.
It was seen wandering along train tracks in the area, which prompted a joint response from the BC Conservation Officer Service and Vancouver Police Department.
The bear was tranquilized and assessed by conservation officers and wildlife biologists, who determined that it’s a healthy young black bear.
The #GastownBear was safely released back into the wild today – far away from the city. Shout-out to @VancouverPD for their assistance yesterday.
— BC CO Service (@_BCCOS) May 6, 2021
For video and more info: https://t.co/4IU62Rvrax pic.twitter.com/EaVQu2hM6o
“Conservation officers translocated the young bear to an undisclosed wilderness location,” explained a post from the BCCOS, who shared video of the bear's return to the wild on Facebook..
“This location was carefully chosen, in consultation with biologists from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, to give the bear the best chance possible.”
The BCCOS said it was unusual for a bear to be spotted in a busy area of downtown, but it’s believed that the young animal may have veered into the urban landscape while trying to follow along a greenbelt.