When Authorities Kill Bears, What Happens to Their Carcasses?
The Issue
Earlier this year, I saw the news that Betty, a mother black bear with two cubs, was fatally shot in Coquitlam on June 27, 2026. The mama bear and her cubs entered a home in Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau area through an unlocked front door. Betty later ended up in the backyard, where she charged toward an RCMP officer and was fatally shot. Her two cubs, which remained inside the home, were later rescued and taken to Critter Care Wildlife Society for rehabilitation. So that's that, but the whole thing made me wonder: what happens to a bear’s body after it is killed?
And just not long after, ANOTHER case of the same darn thing happened once again. On September 20, 2026, a mother black bear and her cub entered a pharmacy in Hope, B.C. The bears eventually left the store without harming anyone, yet, conservation officers later tranquillized and assessed them, then euthanized the mother, citing her previous conflict history and public-safety concerns. Her cub was released into a wilderness area.
Regardless of how people view the decisions made in these individual cases, one question remains unanswered publicly: what ultimately happens to the carcasses of bears killed during these incidents?
I checked B.C.’s black-bear statistics, but while the province reports how many bears are killed, euthanized, relocated or rehabilitated, it does not report what happens to each bear’s carcass. Section 2(4) of the B.C. Wildlife Act states that wildlife killed accidentally or to protect life or property remains government property. However, it does not clearly explain what happens after the government takes possession. Further research shows that dead bears may be used for purposes such as education, scientific research, ceremonies or other authorized uses, but the public is not told what happens in each specific case.
We as taxpayers are calling on the Government of British Columbia to publicly report the final disposition of every bear death reported. We deserve to know exactly how government-owned wildlife corpses are handled and we have the right to call for improvements when government procedures lack transparency.
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The Issue
Earlier this year, I saw the news that Betty, a mother black bear with two cubs, was fatally shot in Coquitlam on June 27, 2026. The mama bear and her cubs entered a home in Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau area through an unlocked front door. Betty later ended up in the backyard, where she charged toward an RCMP officer and was fatally shot. Her two cubs, which remained inside the home, were later rescued and taken to Critter Care Wildlife Society for rehabilitation. So that's that, but the whole thing made me wonder: what happens to a bear’s body after it is killed?
And just not long after, ANOTHER case of the same darn thing happened once again. On September 20, 2026, a mother black bear and her cub entered a pharmacy in Hope, B.C. The bears eventually left the store without harming anyone, yet, conservation officers later tranquillized and assessed them, then euthanized the mother, citing her previous conflict history and public-safety concerns. Her cub was released into a wilderness area.
Regardless of how people view the decisions made in these individual cases, one question remains unanswered publicly: what ultimately happens to the carcasses of bears killed during these incidents?
I checked B.C.’s black-bear statistics, but while the province reports how many bears are killed, euthanized, relocated or rehabilitated, it does not report what happens to each bear’s carcass. Section 2(4) of the B.C. Wildlife Act states that wildlife killed accidentally or to protect life or property remains government property. However, it does not clearly explain what happens after the government takes possession. Further research shows that dead bears may be used for purposes such as education, scientific research, ceremonies or other authorized uses, but the public is not told what happens in each specific case.
We as taxpayers are calling on the Government of British Columbia to publicly report the final disposition of every bear death reported. We deserve to know exactly how government-owned wildlife corpses are handled and we have the right to call for improvements when government procedures lack transparency.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on July 11, 2026