Cheslatta Carrier Nation (CCN) Chief Corrina Leween and senior policy advisor Mike Robertson came across an unexpected sight this week while touring wildfire-affected areas south of Burns Lake.
From their helicopter they spotted a black bear eating another bear鈥檚 carcass on the north shore of Cheslatta Lake.
鈥淲e all thought they were dead and circled back to investigate,鈥� described Robertson. 鈥淲hen the helicopter got closer, we discovered a huge black bear on top of a brown bear.鈥�
鈥淭he big black bear got up and walked about 10 yards, quickly turned around and in a very aggressive and threatening manner started clicking his teeth,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭he bear took a step or two towards us, even though we were 100 feet high in a whirling helicopter.鈥�
鈥淚t sent chills through my bones.鈥�
Robertson said the bear ran away when the helicopter circled the area again, but that it eventually went back to his meal.
Although Robertson did not see whether the bear actually killed the other, this would not unusual behaviour for bears, according to Sergeant 锟糑evin Nixon with the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
鈥淕rizzly bears for starters will kill a black bear any opportunity they get and they鈥檒l consume it,鈥� he told Black Press Media. 鈥淔or a large male black bear to kill another black bear, especially a younger male, he鈥檒l go out of his way to do that.
鈥淭hey鈥檒l do that for breeding purposes, to remove competition, and once it鈥檚 dead they鈥檒l consume it.鈥�
When asked if bears in the Burns Lake area have been affected by the region鈥檚 wildfires, Nixon said 鈥渄efinitely.鈥�
鈥淏ears are very territorial, and the fact they have been displaced by the fires means that they have to establish a new territory,鈥� he explained. 鈥淎s soon as they have to establish a new territory they have to compete with bears that were already in that territory, and that鈥檚 when fights are going to occur.鈥�
Nixon added that this is the time of year when bears are feeding 18 hours a day, trying to get their last-minute calories before they go into hibernation.
鈥淭here鈥檚 only so many food sources available, so they鈥檙e gonna turn to whatever food sources they can find, and the unfortunate reality in this area is that bears are finding pet food, apple trees and all kinds of different things that are not considered normal bear behaviour.鈥�
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