An orphaned black bear cub rescued near Tofino, B.C. is shown in a handout photo. A Manitoba man is facing charges for harbouring a similar-looking cub. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Tofino Whale Centre-Jennifer Steven)
A Winnipeg man has been charged for taking in a black bear cub.
A concerned citizen called Manitoba Conservation on April 27 to report that a person was in possession of the cub. An officer from the Lac du Bonnet district office immediately tried to contact the individual to arrange to retrieve the animal, but the person didn’t show up or respond to numerous attempts to contact the officer. Additional attempts were made to establish communication the next day.
At around 5 p.m. on April 28, the man called the conservation tip line requesting that someone come and get the bear from his residence in Winnipeg, where he had kept it overnight.
Staff from Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development retrieved the bear immediately and transported it to Black Bear Rescue Manitoba.
The man was charged on May 2 under section 45 of the Wildlife Act with possessing a live animal when not permitted.
Provincial officials say if a person encounters sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, they should contact a conservation officer in the local district office or call the toll-free tip line at 1-800-782-0076.
