Alberta Government officials have confirmed a black bear has been euthanized outside of Rocky Mountain House.

On Sept. 16, fish and wildlife officers located the bear outside of town, and after assessing the situation, decided it was necessary to euthanize the bear since it was very habituated to humans and had become food-conditioned, which officials say could pose a risk to public safety.

FWES follow the black bear response guide to determine appropriate actions in human-wildlife conflict situations.

Those actions include relocation or euthanasia, determined by different levels of depredation or habituation.

The first sightings were reported on Sept. 11, when residents reported sightings of the bear near the north side of town, with concerns raised about its proximity to people’s porches.

Additionally, FWES officials say two other reports that day indicated the bear had been rummaging through garbage during the night.

FWES officers initially placed a bear trap near McNutt Subdivision in Rocky Mountain House, where it remained for two nights.

On Sept. 13, officials say the trap was to be relocated to a more suitable area north of town, based on the most up-to-date information about the bear’s location.

Citing no reports of bear activity since Sept. 13, FWES officers had the traps removed by Sept. 15.

FWES urges residents to properly store their garbage and avoid leaving bins outside overnight.

It adds garbage should only be placed outside on the morning of pick-up to minimize attracting wildlife.

For more bear safety tips, visit alberta.ca/alberta-bearsmart.