2 black bears killed after trying to access food at B.C. music festival

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) says it had to kill two black bears on July 24 after the bears tried to access coolers and tents at a popular music festival in B.C.

Conservation officers say they received multiple reports of bears accessing tents in the Shambhala festival area in the days leading up to the festival.

"A COS trap was set nearby, but no bears were captured," the service said in an emailed statement to CBC News. 

"Additional reports of bears frequenting the festival site campground were received, including one instance where RCMP hazed the bears away."

On July 24, conservation officers responded to reports of a bear in the campground, accessing tents in search of food.  

"The bears displayed highly food-conditioned behaviour and showed a minimal fear of people, including repeated efforts to access coolers and tents in a populated area," the BCCOS said.

"Bears exhibiting this behaviour are unable to be relocated or rehabilitated, as they are too great a risk to the public." 

The Shambhala Music Festival, which ran from July 24 to July 29 and was celebrating its 25th anniversary, is an electronic music festival that takes place every year in Salmo, near Nelson in B.C.'s West Kootenay, about 340 kilometres southeast of Kelowna. 

Jimmy Bundschuh, the festival founder, says no guests or staff were hurt.

He says that due to the festival's remote location, preventing and managing wildlife encounters is a core aspect of their health, safety and environment program.

"While many of our guests enjoy the remote aspect of the festival, it does present the possibility of wildlife encounters," Bundschuh said in an emailed statement to CBC News.

"[We] spent multiple weeks with the Conservation Officer to manage and attempt to relocate the bears. Unfortunately, after multiple relocation attempts, the Conservation Officer evaluated the situation and regrettably had to euthanize the two problem bears."

He said that Shambhala employs several measures to minimize the risk of wildlife encounters including staff training on preventing and minimizing bear and wildlife interactions, daily meetings to discuss updates on the presence of wildlife, a designated Emergency Response Team and detailed waste management strategies. 

The BCCOS said that throughout the process, conservation officers liaised with Shambhala staff and RCMP. 

"[We] thank them for their assistance," said the COS. 

The Conservation Officer Service says it had not responded to bear conflicts at the Shambhala festival in more than a decade.