Vancouver Island park closed following black bear attack

A park on Vancouver Island is closed after a bear attack on Friday morning.

B.C. Conservation Officers said that shortly before 10 a.m., a woman was hiking with her dogs off-leash in Stoney Hill Regional Park, east of Duncan.

Officers said the woman encountered a sow and a cub and the sow attacked the woman’s dogs. The woman intervened and received undisclosed injuries from the bear, the conservation service said. The dogs survived.

Conservation officers swept the area alongside RCMP officers but did not locate the bear.

In coordination with the Cowichan Valley Regional District, the park has been closed to ensure public safety.

The Conservation Service said it has been determined that the attack was defensive and there will be no effort to locate or capture the bears.

Warning signage has been placed in the area. Conservation officers will continue to monitor bear activity in the area.

The public is encouraged to familiarize themselves with precautions to minimize human-wildlife conflicts, including travelling in groups, leashing pets and carrying bear spray, the service said in a social media update.