Two individuals living on Texada Island have been found guilty for not reporting the killing of a grizzly bear in July 2025, as confirmed by conservation officers. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) announced through a social media update that Kody Bevan and Seneca Antony have each been fined $3,000.
Legal actions were taken against Bevan and Antony in September after the incident involving the grizzly bear’s death the previous July. The situation had sparked controversy on Texada Island, with residents divided on whether the bear, which had been relocated twice before, should be euthanized or left undisturbed.
Local First Nations had devised a plan to relocate the bear, but unfortunately, it was shot dead before the plan could be executed. Following their guilty plea, Bevan and Antony were sentenced on Thursday for failing to promptly report the incident to authorities.
The fines imposed on the individuals will contribute $4,000 to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. Notably, the charges in the case do not specify who was responsible for killing the bear.
Texada Island, located almost 100 kilometers northwest of Vancouver and home to around 1,000 residents, had not encountered such large predators before. The grizzly, affectionately named “Tex” by locals, had been moved twice previously due to sightings near populated areas.
Before its unfortunate demise, the bear had displayed concerning behavior over the past year, including stalking residents and pets on multiple occasions. The news of the bear’s death saddened many in the local First Nations community, particularly after learning of the relocation plan that never materialized.
Officials cited social media and misinformation as factors that escalated tensions surrounding the bear’s fate. The original intention was to relocate the bear to a remote area where it could coexist with other grizzlies without the risk of returning to populated regions.
