It’s certainly not a happy day for anyone when a bear is killed because it’s deemed a threat to public safety. Bears are killed as a last resort and for reasons that are nearly exclusively caused by people.
Feeding bears — directly or inadvertently by leaving pet food or garbage outside — teaches them habits that put lives at risk — humans, as well as their own. If bears become used to humans giving them food, they will not be afraid to approach people and may get aggressive when they aren't fed. Bears that frequent areas because of the reliable source of garbage are more likely to encounter people. Suddenly, the once wild bear truly becomes a threat to human safety.
So why aren't “problem” bears just relocated?
The fact is, relocating bears is neither reliable nor a long-term management solution. In B.C., for example, black bear long distance relocation is no longer considered a viable option. Bears have large ranges and will seek out reliable sources of food. They’ll often travel the impressive distance back to the area where the problems began, or resume the same behaviour in their new location. In addition, the relocated bear can experience significant stress caused by the capture itself, as well as from trying to find food and denning sites in its new area. Sometimes the newcomer succumbs to lethal confrontations with bears already occupying that space. The high cost of relocation coupled with the low rate of success basically translates into a very expensive, time-intensive exercise in futility.
