Two residents of Texada Island have been found guilty of not reporting the killing of a grizzly bear in July 2025, as disclosed by conservation officers. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) announced through a social media post that Kody Bevan and Seneca Antony have each been fined $3,000. They were formally charged in September following the incident in July, which had stirred controversy among Texada Island residents on whether the bear, which had been relocated twice before, should be euthanized or left alone.
Local First Nations communities had devised a plan to relocate the bear, known as “Tex,” but tragically, the bear was shot dead before this plan could be executed. Bevan and Antony were sentenced after admitting their guilt to failing to promptly report the bear’s injury or death. The COS mentioned that $4,000 of the fines would be contributed to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, but the charges did not specify who was responsible for killing the bear.
Prior to its demise, the bear had exhibited concerning behavior, including stalking residents and chasing livestock. The decision to kill the bear caused grief among the local First Nations, who had hoped for its relocation. Officials highlighted the role of social media and misinformation in aggravating the situation and emphasized the initial plan to resettle the bear in a secluded area to prevent its return. Residents of Texada Island, unaccustomed to large predators, were divided over the fate of the grizzly bear, named “Tex,” which had previously been relocated multiple times due to wandering into urban areas.