Vancouver-based wildlife group files report after bear cub burned near Dawson Creek

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — A report has been filed to ask questions about what happened to the black bear cub burned near Dawson Creek in December.

Vancouver-based wildlife conservation group The Fur-Bearers said it contacted B.C.’s Natural Resource Officer Service late last month surrounding the incident involving Valkyrie, a black bear who was allegedly burned in a slash pile.

Badly injured in rapidly-declining temperatures before Christmas, the bear was rescued and transported to the Northern Lights Wildlife Society, where it is currently being rehabilitated.

The society’s executive director and manager, Angelika Langen, said the organization plans to release the bear in the spring.

Slash piles, also known as burn piles, are giant piles of wooded debris, usually as a result of a clearing of trees. 

Lesley Fox, executive director of The Fur-Bearers, told Energeticcity.ca the report was filed because, according to her,  “there’s a potential for an offence here.”

“While it’s legal to have slash piles and burn them, there’s a variety of legislation under the forestry regulations,” said Fox. “One is that [slash piles] should be checked prior to burning to ensure that they are safe. There’s a duty of care that’s required, to ensure before setting anything ablaze, that it’s being done in a safe manner.

“We’re greatly concerned about this cub. There’s also a lot of questions about what happened to this cub’s mother, or potentially [if] they had a sibling, and it was enough that we thought someone should take a second look.”

Fox said she filed the report in part due to the number of slash piles that were being reported near the area where the bear was found.

Additionally, she said the public attention the story of Valkyrie galvanized the organization to action.

The Natural Resource Officer Service looks at inspections related to forestry and logging offences.

“There could be a violation and we just want to do our due diligence and ensure this doesn’t happen again,” said Fox.

Describing it as a “Christmas miracle,” Fox extended her thanks to the Northern Lights Wildlife Society and B.C. conservation officer Kevin Mayowski for their parts in the rescue.

“He gave the green light, and it starts with [the B.C. Conservation Officer Service],” said Fox. “We’re really thankful to them, and all the people who made it happen.

“I think most people like to see second chances. We’re really rooting for this little girl, and hopefully she’ll have a successful release.”

The Fur-Bearers is a charity which protects “fur-bearing animals through conservation, advocacy, research and education,” according to its website. 

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to the Natural Resource Officer Service for further comment, and will update this story if more information becomes available.