By Canadian Press

B.C. First Nation says plan to move Tex the grizzly was underway before it was killed

Jul 16, 2025 | 11:33 AM

TEXADA ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA — A First Nation on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast says it is “deeply saddened” by the shooting death of a grizzly bear on Texada Island this week.

The Tla’amin First Nation says in a statement that it was working on a co-ordinated relocation effort for the bear with two other area nations before the bear, nicknamed Tex, was “illegally shot, maimed and killed.”

It says it held a ceremony on Tuesday to honour the spirit of Tex after taking custody of his remains.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says it received a report from the RCMP on Tuesday that someone had shot and wounded the bear and it later reported finding the bear dead.

The service said last month that the bear was not a good candidate for relocation because it had already been moved from other Sunshine Coast communities and had stalked people and harassed livestock.

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The nation’s statement says their relocation plan had already been approved by conservation officials and it involved setting traps to safely move Tex to a remote area at the head of Bute Inlet, on the mainland about 100 kilometres northeast of Texada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2025.

The Canadian Press