Visitors to Goldstream Park over the weekend were treated to not only salmon spawning but also a black bear looking for some lunch.
Photographer Mary-lee Sampson captured these images Saturday, including park staff putting up a barrier that closed off an area of the park.
According to Sampson it was a large male black bear that has been hanging around the area for the past few years.
As she and others were standing 30 meters away at a viewing point for the salmon spawn, the bear lumbered down to the edge of the water, caught a large fish and disappeared.
READ MORE: Spawning salmon start to trickle through Goldstream Park
“In the mean time [sic] the Goldstream Park “cop” came to check on things, that when things got a little scary. He kicked everybody out, understandably, lots of kids around,” Sampson wrote on Facebook.
“Here, this bear was making clacking and popping sounds with its mouth, teeth and jaws. Ears straight up and head slightly lowered while facing you, is another signal of a stressed bear. The Park “copper” then blew the air horn to scare him off. Safe another day. I love my bear encounters, albeit this one got a little sketchy and I was grateful I was amongst friends and park cop.”
The popular Goldstream slamon run brings thousands of people, including school children, out to Goldstream park each fall to watch the salmon spawn between October and November.
