Texada Island grizzly bear ‘not a candidate for relocation’ after two previous moves
A grizzly bear on Texada Island that has shown aggressive behaviour towards people and livestock is “not a candidate for relocation,” the Conservation Officer Service says.
Following the return of the grizzly bear to Texada Island and further encounters, the province is deciding on the fate of the bear.
Currently, there is no “kill order” for the grizzly bear that has returned to Texada Island. However, after two failed relocation attempts, the province said on Friday “it would not be in the interest of public safety to relocate the bear a third time.”
The Conservation Officer Service agrees with the ministers.
“Due to the high level of conflict history that has impacted public safety – including complaints of public encounters, aggressive behaviour and property damage – this bear is not a candidate for relocation,” stated the COS on Friday.
The grizzly bear has continued to make its way through residential areas including farms, schools and even “spent several days in Powell River, breaking into fishing boats at marinas to access bait,” according to COS.
Recent encounters reported
In light of the continued grizzly bear encounters, a joint statement was released by the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship and the Ministry of Environment and Parks.
“In recent weeks, a grizzly bear has been sighted on Texada Island, displaying aggressive behaviour to both people and livestock,” stated Randene Neill and Tamara Davidson, minister of water, land and resource stewardship and environment and parks, respectively.
“We know people are concerned, both for public safety and the welfare of the bear. The Conservation Officer Service (COS) has attended Texada Island and continues to monitor the situation.”
June 10-11 2025 encounters
Just this week on Texada Island, the bear went after livestock on a resident’s farm.
COS says that on Tuesday and Wednesday, they “responded to a complaint of a grizzly bear chasing livestock. The COS investigation determined no livestock were attacked and conflict prevention advice was provided to residents.”
May 2025 encounters
The COS cited additional encounters in May, including on May 22 in Powell River.
“The bear displayed aggressive behaviour by stalking two residents while walking on a trail,” stated COS.
Fortunately, the residents were able to escape, but it wasn’t easy.
“The people escaped by entering and remaining in the water for half an hour while the bear remained on shore circling back and forth. The grizzly bear tore up one of their jackets on shore before leaving,” COS said.
Another recent incident occurred on May 27 on Texada Island.
According to COS, “the grizzly bear stalked a resident walking home with her horse and dog for half a kilometer.”
Additional sightings have been reported on the island including near a school, store and other farms.
“Traps were set after these incidents but were pulled several days later as the grizzly bear had moved locations and the COS did not want to inadvertently capture an unrelated bear,” stated COS.
Two failed relocation attempts last year
The ministers say the bear is known by the COS and biologists with the province as they worked to relocate it twice last year. However, the relocation proved unsuccessful.
“It was initially found wandering near schools and downtown areas in Gibsons and Sechelt,” states the ministry regarding last year’s sighting.
On the first relocation attempt, it was transported to Vancouver Bay in Jervis Inlet.
On the second attempt, it was then tagged and relocated to the far end of Jervis Inlet.
However, the distance was not far enough to deter the bear from returning to the communities.
“On both occasions, despite the relocation of more than 75 kilometres, the grizzly bear returned to communities along the Sunshine Coast within weeks,” the ministers stated.
The arrival of young males has historically been the first sign of grizzlies pushing into new territory, carnivore specialist Garth Mowat with the B.C. Ministry of Environment told CHEK News in August 2024.
The fact that a female and cubs were seen on the North Island suggests grizzlies may be establishing a more permanent presence on the Island, and now perhaps on nearby Texada as well.
Actions taken to prioritize safety and avoid ‘kill order’
To date, there is no “kill order” on the bear. However, the ministers say public safety is the top priority, and it will depend on what the bear does next.
“We want to be very clear: there is no ‘kill order’ on this bear. However, it is also our responsibility to keep people safe and if further behavior by the grizzly bear occurs that threatens public safety, Conservation Officers will respond to those situations,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
“It is our hope that it will not come to this, and the bear will move on independently.”
The ministers are working alongside COS as well as First Nations and the Grizzly Bear Foundation, but say the final decision will be made using “provincial policies to ensure public safety.”
“We all have a role to play in keeping bears safe, especially in rural and remote communities.”
The province says it is working to “minimize the risks that conflicts with wildlife pose to public safety and property.”
Some of these actions include enforcement efforts, community outreach, municipal meetings, promoting WildSafe programs and Bear Smart communities.
Many of the initiatives focus on educating residents on how to prevent human-wildlife encounters resulting in the death of bears. This includes securing garbage storage, or anything that may attract bears.
However, due to the nature of this particular bear’s behaviour and the unsuccessful relocation attempts, the province and COS are facing a difficult decision.
“Bears that are aggressive towards people, considered dangerous to the public, or are human-food conditioned are not candidates for relocation, due to the risk to public safety,” states the ministers.
The public is urged to report any sightings of this grizzly bear to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
Residents are asked to ensure anything that may attract the bear, including garbage, is securely stored. For additional safety tips, visit WildSafeBC.com.
“We understand that people in B.C. care for the welfare of our wild animals – that is part of what makes our province such a great place to live. B.C. is one of the last places in North America where grizzly bears still live across most of their historic range, and we are fortunate to have them. We are doing our very best to ensure grizzly bears continue to endure and thrive in our province.”
A grizzly bear on Texada Island that has shown aggressive behaviour towards people and livestock is "not a candidate for relocation."
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