B.C. conservation officers have arrested one person in connection with the illegal trafficking of black bear parts in the province.
In a social media post, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service reported that the arrest was carried out in the Lower Mainland by detectives in the service’s investigations section. The service is recommending three separate counts to the B.C. Prosecution Service for charges of trafficking in wildlife.
Penalties upon conviction can range from up to a $500,000 fine to three years in jail, or both.
“We know black markets for wildlife parts exist in B.C. and beyond, including overseas. Putting a stop to this unlawful trade is a priority,” said service Insp. Kyle Ackles.
Ackles said it was challenging to know how widespread the issue is in B.C. In 2018, a large black bear poaching and trafficking ring responsible for the poaching of 100 black bears was busted in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Quebec.
Bear bile contains high levels of ursodeoxycholic acid, and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments including gallstones and cirrhosis of the liver.
Black bear gallbladders are also sought for medicinal purposes in some cultures, and their paws and meat are considered delicacies. In Canada, only the Northwest Territories, Quebec and Nova Scotia allow the sale of legally harvested bear parts.
