Bear 'bluff charges' Port Coquitlam woman after being hit by car

Conservation officers areon the lookout for a young bear that "bluff charged"a Port Coquitlam woman in her drivewayafter it had beenhit by a car Wednesday morning.

Metro Vancouver conservation officer Clayton Debruin saysthe chain of events started when the woman and her young child returned to their home in the 3300 block of Cedar Drive, startling thebear who may have been sleeping.

The animal then ran onto the roadandwas hit by a passing car before coming back towards the woman whowas trying to get her child out of the car.

"Blackbearshave an instinctual defence mechanism," Debruin told CBC News. "When they feel threatened it is very common for them to charge without the intent to actually attack."

Common defence mechanism

"Typicallyblack bears want nothing to do with humans they'revery timid, very low risk of attack," he said. "But when they find themselvesin a threatening situation they tend to use their size and a quick sort of charge to assess the person or animal. It's a common defense mechanism, it's rarely followedthroughon."

Debruin says conservation officers have beensearching the area for the bear since yesterday, paying special attention to trees because injured black bears have a tendency to tree themselves.

"We don't know the extent of the injuriesbut we suspect he's left the area which is a good sign because if he's mobile it's more likely he'll survive on his own," said Debruin.

He believes the bear was attracted to the neighbourhood by garbage, and says people need to secure their garbage and get rid of bear attractants like bird feeders.

Neither the woman nor her child were injured.

With files from Farrah Merali