A black bear that killed 12 goats in the Maple Ridge area of Websters Corners has been euthanized. 

Conservation officers were able to trap the bear behind the goat pen on the Meadows Family Farm property in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 12. 

Alex Mimeault with the Conservation Officer Service said the bear was tracked by on-scene conservation officers through prints that showed it accessing the goat pen on the farm, and no other animal pens. 

"Straight to the goat house and then out and into the trap," said Mimeault.  

And, added Mimeault, "based on game camera footage and reports from the property owner at Meadows Family Farm and the other effected properties, the description of the bear caught matched what was described."

The bear has since been euthanized. 

For the past two weeks, a black bear was terrorizing the Websters Corners area. 

Paul Savoie lost his two goats, Daisy and Duke, to the bear. And Mirco Lefebvre, owner and operator of Meadows Family Farm, on 248 Street, lost nine of his goats. 

Lefebvre noted that on their family farm they do have other animals including: rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, mini horses, mini donkeys, cows, pigs, alpacas, turkeys, peacocks, and chickens. 

But the bear seemed to be only targeting the goats.

Paul Savoie, and his bother David, who lives next door to him were worried for the safety of the neighbourhood, and noted that Websters Corners and Blue Mountain Elementary, are located just blocks from where the goats were killed. 

Mimeault noted that farm animal husbandry and effective attractant management are key and necessary in areas that are shared with bears.

"Once a bear associates an area with a food source, there is very little that can be done to deter the bear from returning," said Mimeault. 

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service, (COS), is a public safety provider focused on natural resource law enforcement and human wildlife conflicts prevention and response.

Residents are asked to contact the COS if they see dangerous wildlife in an urban area: accessing garbage or other human supplied food sources; not easily scared off; in a public location like a city park or school during daylight hours; or when a cougar or wolf is seen in an urban area. 

The agency noted that observing dangerous wildlife in the woods, back country, forested areas or a wildlife interface is normal.

The Bear Smart Community Program, designed by the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy in partnership with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, is a voluntary, preventative conservation measure that encourages communities, businesses and individuals to work together with a goal of addressing the root causes of human-bear conflicts.

To learn more about the program go to: 

Call 1-877-952-7277 to report any human-wildlife conflicts to the COS.