Five black bears managed to escape through a hole in the roof of their enclosure at Critter Care Wildlife Rehabilitation facility in South Langley on 216 St. near 4 Ave.Sunday afternoon.
Four of the animals were quickly recovered and had been returned to their enclosure before 6 p.m.
Conservation officer, Jack Trudgian, said the remaining bear at large, a “sub-adult male” from Port Coquitlam which was last seen heading south, posed no danger to the public.
Critter Care takes in orphaned and injured wildlife, including numerous bear cubs each year, feeding and caring for them until they can be returned to their natural habitat.
Critter Care executive director Gail Martin arrived at the scene shortly after the four bears were recovered.
She declined to be interviewed.
On Sunday evening, Critter Care’s Sonia Kucharonok posted an update on the Times’ Facebook page.
“At around 4 pm today, part of our bear enclosure roof suddenly collapsed allowing the five bears to gain access to the roof of the enclosure, Kucharonok wrote.
“The enclosure housed five of the six bears in care. Staff followed all protocols and notified conservation officers. Four of the five bears were successfully lured back into the enclosure and are now secure.
“However, one of the bears bolted for the forest. She saw the Conservation Officer and ran the other way. The bear is a local bear and Conservation Officers have no concern that she has released herself earlier than planned.”
Kucharonok reiterated Trudgian’s comment that the bear poses no danger to the public, but asked that anyone who spots a tagged bear in Langley Township, call Conservation officers at 1-877-952-7277 and notify Critter Care so they can track the animal’s movements.