Bears and bud together may sound like something out of a Russian folk tale, but a grow up bust near Christina Lake is something that could only happen in B.C.

RCMP say that owners tending to their outdoor marijuana grow op either enjoyed wildlife up real close, or were purposefully using bears to protect their property and grow op.

On July 30th, 2010, RCMP officers with the West Kootenay Traffic Services Integrated Road Safety Unit and the Grand Forks Detachment got a bit of surprise while dismantling an outdoor grow op in the Christina Lake area. The owners either enjoyed wildlife up real close, or were purposefully using bears to protect their property and grow op.

“Investigators found two plots containing a total of between 1,100 and 1,200 plants,” said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk in an RCMP press release. “As our officers went about dismantling the outdoor grow, they counted a total of six large black bears at one plot and another four black bears at the second.

“The officers were a little nervous to say the least, and cautiously went about making the seizure. It became quite evident that the bears were habituated to humans and were very docile, sitting around unconcerned with the officer’s presence. Officers also found evidence that the bears were being fed dog food.”

Two Christina Lake area adults in their 40s have been arrested, with charges of production and possession of a controlled substance pending.

Moskaluk added that when a search of the house was conducted, officers came upon a pig roaming around the house and disrupted a racoon from his afternoon nap in one of the bedrooms. The pig was a little frantic at the sight of police, but the racoon was pretty laid back about the bust and took it all in stride, Moskaluk said.

RCMP notified the Grand Forks Conservation Office Services about the situation, given that these bears could be a threat in the area,” Moskaluk said. “It is not at all the proper thing to do to a large wild animal. These ten bears could very well face a not so happy outcome if they are deemed too habituated, because of the property owner, who either simply liked having the bears around, or was in fact using them to protect the grow op,”

Sgt. Fred Mansveld with the Nelson RCMP, said the future of the bears is up to the Conservation Office now. “We’ll deal with the criminal code offense — the production and the possession of the marijuana, they (the Conservation Office) will deal with the Wildlife Act offenses.”