With winter coming, bears are starting to be seen around the Burnaby SFU campus.
On Saturday, conservation officers removed a bear cub that had been hanging around the residence area at SFU. The cub, nicknamed Simon, had attempted to enter a townhouse complex. Conservation officers tranquilized the cub and it was taken to Critter Care in Langley. There has been no sign of the mother.
According to Steven MacLean, director of campus security at SFU, his department has received several reports of bear sightings at the SFU campus.
"We made several attempts to shoo the cub back into wooded areas but the cub kept coming back," said MacLean. "We worked with conservation services and they tranquilized the cub on Saturday."
Bear cubs are attracted by pumpkins, garbage and even ice-cream sundaes carelessly left on townhouse porches.
MacLean advises people on campus to always dispose of waste in the lockable, bear-proof garbage receptacles and if people do come in contact with a bear, they should call campus security immediately.
"It's not uncommon at this time of year to see bears around here because they are in search of food," said MacLean.
