Has a grizzly bear been confirmed dead on the Upper Coast?

A confirmed grizzly mortality has not been established in the information available to NLWS from the report. The Coast Reporter is following the story, and at this stage the situation remains uncertain. Confirmation is important before conclusions are made about the animal, what happened, or even whether the initial information is accurate.

Peter Langen is a founder of Northern Lights Wildlife Society, with Angelika Langen. The society was founded in 1990. The team wrote that without Peter the organization would not exist, and that his love for wildlife got this started in the late 1980s. Thousands of animals have had a second chance since.

I found a baby animal alone. What should I do?

Call Northern Lights Wildlife Society before you do anything else. Don't move or feed the animal. Note the exact location, take a photo from a distance, and keep pets and people back. A fawn alone is usually fine. Call 1-250-877-1181 or email info@wildlifeshelter.com. After hours, call the RAPP line.

Should I feed a wild animal?

Don't feed a wild animal, and don't move it. If you find one that seems to need help, call Northern Lights Wildlife Society first so they can tell you what to do. Call 1-250-877-1181 or email info@wildlifeshelter.com.

The NLWS Blog

Q: What will happen to Bourbon this winter?

Bourbon will spend the winter in NLWS care near Smithers. The immediate focus is making sure he is healthy, properly nourished and able to reach an appropriate weight for hibernation. His injured paw will also be assessed. If all continues well, the plan is for him to return to the Sicamous area next spring, and he is expected to be fitted with a monitoring collar. Human contact is kept to a minimum so that he remains a wild bear.

Reading the NLWS blog provides insights into wildlife conservation, sanctuary activities, and animal stories, fostering awareness and understanding of wildlife and conservation issues.

Week of Oct 24 to 30, 2026

The NLWS Team

October 30, 2026

Week of Oct 24 to 30, 2026

From Instagram, TikTok and our blog

This post covers our updates from Saturday, October 24, through Friday, October 30. Most of what we shared this week was about cubs in our care, including a new arrival from Fairmont, and a few stories on our blog.

This week's stories

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Bourbon

A small dark-brown bear cub walks across gravel and fallen apples beside a metal-sided building in Sicamous. — The orphaned cub in Sicamous, later named Bourbon, before the rescue. Photo by Kyre Dawn Smith, from the Castanet story we shared in our October 26 blog post.

On October 26 we published the story of Bourbon, an orphaned black bear cub from Sicamous. Local resident Kyre Dawn Smith first noticed him near Askew's Foods, where he was eating apples. She contacted the Conservation Officer Service and then us. The cub moved on before help arrived, but residents kept watching. On October 19, Kyre and other residents, including Pixie Rai Craven, Kathie Sider and Cheryl Goobie, found him again in a group of trees. After about four hours in the tree, he came down and entered a live trap. Castanet reported he was estimated at about 45 to 50 pounds and appeared to have an injured paw. Pixie named him Bourbon. He will spend the winter in our care near Smithers. Our focus is making sure he is healthy and properly nourished, and able to reach an appropriate weight for hibernation. His injured paw will also be assessed. If all continues well, the plan is for him to return to the Sicamous area next spring, and he is expected to be fitted with a monitoring collar. We are grateful to everyone in Sicamous who helped. You can read the full account on our blog.

Upper Coast

On October 28 we posted about reports of a possible dead grizzly on B.C.'s Upper Coast. The Coast Reporter is following the story under the headline "There may or may not be a dead grizzly bear in the Upper Coast." At this stage the situation remains unconfirmed. Reports involving wildlife deaths need to be verified before conclusions are made. We will be watching for further information as the situation develops. That post is on our blog.

Peter's birthday

Peter Langen, an older man in sunglasses and a grey sweater, stands at an open metal transport crate and rests his hands on a black bear inside. — Peter Langen, founder of Northern Lights Wildlife Society, with a black bear in a transport crate. From our October 30 blog post.

On October 30 the team marked the birthday of our founder, Peter Langen. Without Peter this organization would not exist. It was his love for wildlife that got this started in the late 1980s, and thousands of animals have had a second chance since. That post is on our blog.

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Posts from this week

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Peter's birthday

Blog30 Oct 2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our Founder Peter Langen. Without Peter this organization would not exist, it was his love for wildlife that got all this started in the late 1980's and thousands of animals got a second chance since.

View on our blog

Frequently asked questions

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Why does a 23.8 pound cub matter for hibernation?

For hibernation to be successful, cubs should be 50 pounds or more. On October 25 we processed a female cub who had just arrived from Fairmont. She weighed in at 23.8 pounds, well below that mark, and is the smallest cub currently in our care. We named her Cholula.

What will happen to Bourbon this winter?

Bourbon will spend the winter in our care near Smithers. Our immediate focus is making sure he is healthy, properly nourished and able to reach an appropriate weight for hibernation. His injured paw will also be assessed as he settles into care. If all continues well, the plan is for him to return to the Sicamous area next spring, and he is expected to be fitted with a monitoring collar. Human contact is kept to a minimum so that he remains a wild bear.

The NLWS Team

October 30, 2026

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Your donation saves Lives Donating to Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter saves wildlife by providing crucial resources for their care, such as food, shelter, and medical treatment. The shelter rescues and re-wilds injured or orphaned wildlife, giving them a second chance at life. Your donation can directly contribute to the well-being and survival of these vulnerable species.

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The NLWS Blog

Week of Oct 24 to 30, 2026