Three grizzly cubs have been orphaned after their mother was injured so badly she had to be shot by wildlife officers.
Fish and Wildlife officials had been monitoring the sow and her two-year-old cubs for the past month.
Lyle Lester says the mama bear was healthy and a responsible mother. "This particular sow, she's been a pretty good mama. She's kept her kids away from farm yards and they haven't been getting into any trouble in terms of bothering livestock."
About a week ago things changed.
Area residents told wildlife officials they saw the sow limping. Then there were reports the cubs were on their own, coming into farm yards and eating dog food off someone's deck.
"Young bears, when they're on their own, are like kids. They get into trouble. And it didn't take these bears long to get into farm yards because they're hungry," says Lester.
Several days ago, someone spotted the cubs going in and out of a shelter used by a rancher as protection for his calves.
When Fish and Wildlife officers turned up to investigate they found the badly wounded sow inside. "She was hurting. She was suffering. When we tranquilized her, we found that he back leg ahd been shattered and there was a bullet wound," says Lester.
Lester says the mother bear had to be destroyed.
Her cubs were trapped, tagged, and have now been relocated to an area north of the Crowsnest Pass.
The original shooting of the sow is still under investigation. Fish and Wildlife officials are asking anyone with information to contact them.
