A bear is believed to have preyed on a miniature donkey that was found dead in its paddock near Webster鈥檚 Corners in Maple Ridge last week.

The BC Conservation Officers Service received a report about the slain donkey on June 17. The owners and conservation officers believed it to have been a cougar, after several sightings of big cats have been reported by residents of the neighbourhood.

Residents also report they have lost lambs to predators in recent months.

But CO Service Sgt. Todd Hunter said they consulted an expert in predators, and from photos of the little donkey鈥檚 remains, the specialist guessed that it had been a bear attack.

Sure enough, the residents of the property set out a security camera, and received images of a black bear coming back to the scene, 鈥渘osing around the kill site,鈥� said Hunter.

Hunter said the COs have set a trap for a bear 鈥� a culvert trap which captures bears live. He said there is a strong likelihood the bear has killed other livestock in the neighbourhood, and needs to be removed from the area.

Mary Robson told The News she has lost two lambs to a predator, while another neighbour has lost five. Robson said she has taken to shepherding her remaining 13 sheep in a golf cart, to ensure they are safe.

Once the bear is caught, Conservation Officers will make a decision whether it should be permanently removed from the population, Hunter explained.

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Hunter said residents can help reduce wildlife conflicts by taking measures to ensure their animals are not vulnerable to prey 鈥� although he did not fault the donkey owners.

He advocates for electric fences as effective against predators such as bears: 鈥淲hen they get zapped, they do not like it.鈥�

Hunter said Maple Ridge鈥檚 Wildsafe Coordinator Dan Mikolay has done great work demonstrating how effective electric fences can be.

鈥淒an鈥檚 been doing some good work with volunteers from Maple Ridge Bears,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have a really effective communications system.鈥�

鈥淕enerally, every year we鈥檝e got issues where people have livestock preyed on,鈥� he added. 鈥淪o we need the public to do everything they can.鈥�

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He refers the public to 鈥檚 new public information online, including tips and strategies such as how to use bear spray, camping in wildlife country and having 鈥淎 Wildsafe yard.鈥�