Black bear killed after attacking woman in Whistler, B.C.

Conservation officers in British Columbia say they killed a black bear after it attacked a woman walking her dog in Whistler.

A statement posted online by the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the woman was walking her leashed dog in the Kadenwood neighbourhood around 8:30 p.m. PT on Monday when she was knocked to the ground and bitten by the bear. 

It says she was taken to hospital by ambulance and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Conservation officers did a sweep of the area and located a black bear that matched descriptions of the animal.

The service says the bear was killed due to the risk it posed to the public.

Conservation officers say they are continuing to investigate what happened.

Earlier this spring, conservation officers warned British Columbians to be aware of their surroundings as bears emerged from their winter hibernation.

According to numbers collected by the service, a total of 303 black bears were killed last year, down from 603 in 2023.

Between 500 and 600 bears are killed on average in B.C., most years, with 632 in 2019 as the highest recorded number.

Officers have previously told CBC News that killing bears is a last resort, and is only done when officers determine that an animal can't be rehabilitated or relocated.