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Two wild black bears were put down in one day by Parks Canada human-wildlife specialists in Jasper National Park last week.

A black bear known to Parks Canada was killed after an encounter with a family dog, and a second black bear was killed after becoming too habituated to human food — both on May 15, said Parks Canada spokesperson Steve Young.

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“We try everything — this is last resort. Our resource conservation people love animals, they want to make it as easy as possible for humans and animals to co-exist. It’s almost like we lost the battle when we have to put one down,” said Young. “Losing two in one day is a pretty big number for us,” he said.

In the first incident, a healthy, adult male black bear approached a leashed dog and its owners in the Athabasca Falls area, a popular place for visitors. The dog pulled out of its collar and was picked up by the bear and carried into the bush. The dog’s owner’s pursued and pepper sprayed the bear, but were unable to force it off the dog.