The BC Conservation Officer Service is warning Whistler residents and visitors not to feed or approach black bears after a recent close encounter was caught on camera.

In a series of clips posted to social media Monday, a bear can be seen walking along the pedestrian walkway outside the Roots store in Whistler Village. Several people can be seen nearby and most appear to ignore the animal.

At one point in one of the videos, a man holding up his phone as if he was recording approaches the bear and comes within a few feet of it.

The bear begins to charge him, but does not attack, and the man responds by growling at the bear.

In another video in the series, someone can be heard clapping loudly and yelling at the bear in an attempt to get it to move forward.

In a statement to CTV News, the BCCOS said it was “aware of several sightings and videos of black bears in Whistler Village, including one video reported as recently as Monday,” but it did not know exactly when the series of clips circulating on social networks had been broadcast. been recorded.

The department said it euthanized a tagged black bear on Sunday, describing the animal as having a history of “conflictive behavior” in the village.

However, the bear that the police killed “is not the same bear as the one in the video.”

When asked about the videos, Whistler RCMP confirmed they went to the village to assist conservation officers after receiving “several calls” about bear sightings on Sunday afternoon.

The police referred further questions to the BCCOS.

“We understand that residents and visitors may be accustomed to seeing black bears, but we ask that people never feed or approach bears,” the department said in its statement.

“Feeding bears is an illegal activity that endangers the safety of people and bears.”

BCCOS said it “works collaboratively” with the RCMP, the municipality, residents and local businesses to ensure people get bear “attractants” such as trash, pet food and birdseed.

“The COS recommends that people take precautions when encountering wild animals, including being aware of their surroundings, giving bears plenty of space, keeping their animals on a leash, and traveling in groups,” a indicated the service.

Bear conflicts or reports of feeding bears or other dangerous wildlife should be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-953-3834, BCCOS said.