Inuvik (July 02/01) - Two bears at the garbage dump in Inuvik had to be killed on June 22 when it was decided they posed problem by lingering there.
"It is the last piece of action we normally take," said Ron Morrison, supervisor for resources, wildlife and economic development in Inuvik.
Morrison said that bears are not usually killed more than once or twice every year in the region but since the town is doing extra work to clean up the dump "it has probably presented itself as more of a problem."
"They become unafraid ... and a lot of tourists are not aware that bears are a dangerous problem," he said.
Bears have been lured into cages baited with fish and relocated further away from town this year.
Two sightings of what may be the same grizzly bear occurred near Inuvik as well.
"These two bears were male and female," explained Tony Bernhardt, who managed the dump last week.
"The reason they were shot was because for about two weeks they have been coming in and out of here ... They were just minding their own business but I guess with the grizzly bear scare (RWED) wasn't taking any chances."
Morrison said that it seems when bears are spotted and relocated once it is the sign of a busy bear year to come.
"This year is going to be one of those," he said."
