One of the men who faced Wildlife Act and other charges relating to improperly stored cooking oil attracting bears to a property near Whitehorse in 2018 is back before the courts for similar alleged infractions, this time near Burwash Landing.
Joszef Suska faces four charges: Failure to comply with a dangerous wildlife protection order, handling and disposal of waste oil and solid waste in ways that contravened the territory’s waste regulations and improper waste transfer. The wildlife protection order charge is dated July 27, 2022, the waste storage charges deal with a period between February and July 2022, and the waste transfer allegedly took place between July 15 and 22, 2022.
The conservation officer who swore the charges against Suska declined an interview as the matter is before the courts, but a Yukon department of Environment representative confirmed that Suska was issued two dangerous wildlife protection orders. The requirements of the orders included the clean-up of used cooking oil, garbage contained in vehicles on the property and the removal of attractants on public lands adjacent to the property.
These kinds of orders can be issued under the Wildlife Act if conservation officers find that food attractants or garbage pose a safety risk by drawing bears to public areas.
Suska pleaded guilty to five charges relating to a similar 2018 bear attractant incident in February 2020. He was ordered to pay $65,000 in fines related to this case.
The 2018 incident, in which Suska stored a large quantity of used cooking oil at a junkyard near Whitehorse, drew much attention as both grizzly and black bears were attracted to the site. Conservation officers ultimately had to kill three food-habituated black bears and relocate two grizzlies.
Suska made a court appearance on July 18 and is scheduled to return in September.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com
