A Ucluelet black bear became trapped inside a vehicle on Friday morning and obliterated the interior before being freed.

Local senior Katharine Fleming told the Westerly News she had gone outside to get her dogs乌鸦传媒� leashes and come back into her home when she heard a car horn honking in her driveway. She said her friend suspected someone was trying to break into her vehicle, but when she looked, she realized something much stranger was happening.

乌鸦传媒淭he car started rocking, I mean really rocking, and I said, 乌鸦传媒楾hat乌鸦传媒檚 not a human in there, a human can乌鸦传媒檛 do that乌鸦传媒� and we realized it was a bear,乌鸦传媒� Fleming said. 乌鸦传媒淚t was absolutely terrifying and I knew he was desperate to get out.乌鸦传媒�

She added that the car乌鸦传媒檚 doors were closed but unlocked and it乌鸦传媒檚 unclear how the bear got in as there was no damage to the exterior, but the door had closed behind it, trapping it inside.

乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 smart. He has figured out how to get in, how to open the door,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淭he door was closed and he managed to retract the latch and pull the door open and, when you see the door, there乌鸦传媒檚 no marks.乌鸦传媒�

Sgt. Kevin Smith of the Ucluelet RCMP confirmed that a police officer responded to the scene and managed to get the bear out.

乌鸦传媒淗e looped a rope around the door handle so that he could stand a safe distance away while pulling the rope to open the door,乌鸦传媒� Smith told the Westerly. 乌鸦传媒淭he bear exited the van and went on its way.乌鸦传媒�

Fleming suggested the bear scampered off in a hurry.

乌鸦传媒淗e took off,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淗e didn乌鸦传媒檛 want to be here any more than we wanted him to be here.乌鸦传媒�

She added that there 乌鸦传媒渨asn乌鸦传媒檛 a single solitary speck of food in our van乌鸦传媒� and suspects the bear had likely found food in other vehicles and started thinking of them as food sources.

The situation is now being investigated by the BC Conservation Officer Service and Fleming fears the bear will likely be killed after showing such heavy signs of habituation.

She hopes the incident serves as a strong reminder to both residents and visitors that they must always keep their attractions secured and never feed wildlife.

乌鸦传媒淭he thing that is the most important about all of this is that people, tourists and locals, have to be bear aware,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚f we乌鸦传媒檙e going to live on the West Coast or visit the West Coast, we have to be aware that this is called the Wild West Coast for a reason. Animals have their rights here and we need to stop encroaching on them or encouraging them just to get that great picture or that great video because we乌鸦传媒檙e killing off the very thing that people want to see when they come here.乌鸦传媒�

She added that along with raising her anxiety, the incident has also brought a financial hit as the vehicle was not insured due to confusion with her insurance provider.

乌鸦传媒淩eally, it乌鸦传媒檚 a comedy of errors and we乌鸦传媒檙e left with a car that is dismantled inside and no insurance,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 screwed financially, but more important than that, a bear is going to lose his life.乌鸦传媒�

andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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