B.C.'s conservation officer service is warning Coquitlam trail runners to keep away from the upper portion of Coquitlam Crunch above Panorama Drive after a bear swiped at a woman Saturday.
The agency responsible for monitoring wildlife complaints and enforcement stated in a Tweet Sunday that it had closed the trail segment and posted a photo of the sign.
According to BC COS, the runner was approached by a bear on the Coquitlam Crunch trail Saturday.
The bear swatted at the runner's leg during the encounter. However, the runner was not injured in the encounter.
In a video taken by another person on the trail, the runner stood still as the bear approached.
While the lower portion of the trail remains open, the public is asked to be vigilant and reminded that they are "recreating in bear country," according to a statement from the Ministry of Environment.
People are also referred to Wildsafe BC on what to do when encountering blak bears.
The website states that while most bear encouters result in the bear leaving an area, they can become assertive or destructive when they have learned to associate humans and their activities with food.
Bears that are aggresive in nature or sightings in urban areas should be reported to the BCOS at 1-877-952-7277. Reports can be viewd on Wildsafe BC's Wildlife Alert Reporting Program.
