Grizzly Bear Found Shot Dead, Tied With Rope In River Sparks Investigation

A dead grizzly bear has been found shot and tied with rope in a Canadian river, sparking an investigation from officials.

The bear was found dead, floating in the Squamish River in British Columbia on August 10, the Conservation Officer Service said in a statement.

A necropsy found the bear had been shot before a rope was tied around its body. The culprit had then used the rope to drag it into the river for disposal. Conservation officials determined the bear had been shot between August 7 to August 9.

The dead grizzly bear was the same one that was relocated in September 2020. The bear, which had been tagged by conservation officers, was known to visit the area around the Cheakamus River and the Squamish River regularly.

"The COS is requesting the public's assistance in identifying offenders or information related to this investigation," the Conservation Officer Service said in a statement. "Callers can remain anonymous. There are reward programs available for information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible for this unlawful act."

In British Columbia, it is illegal under the Wildlife Act to kill a grizzly bear, "as there is no open season to hunt" them.

"It is also an offense to fail to report an accidental shooting or defensive shooting of wildlife," the statement said.

"If found guilty, on a first conviction, an accused can be fined up to $100,000 or imprisoned for one year, or both," the Conservation Officer Service said.

Estimates from 2018 show there are around 14,925 grizzly bears living in British Columbia.

Grizzly bears can reach huge sizes. Males can weigh around 400 to 600 pounds on average, while adult females can weigh approximately 250 to 350 pounds. When they stand up on their hind legs, they can stand at 3 to 5 feet.

Although the species have a reputation for being aggressive, bears will only usually charge at humans if they feel startled or provoked. As extremely territorial animals, they will often defend themselves if they feel threatened.

Grizzly bear hunting was banned permanently in 2017 in British Columbia because of their threatened status in the province.

The decision was controversial at the time and many hunters did not agree with the ban.

Grizzly bears are popular among trophy hunters. This is when hunters target and kill large animals to keep parts that can be displayed.

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