A few days after Walnut Grove resident Rob Snazel warned a black bear was becoming bolder about foraging for food in his residential neighbourhood, the bruin paid him a visit.

Snazel, who works nights, was home with his one-year-old daughter Gemma and three-year old son Jackson on Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 31).

The two adults and four children in the home were all indoors when Emily Coch, a visiting relative, spotted the bear.

鈥淚 thought, what is a black bear doing in the back yard?鈥� she said.

It was less than two metres away from the open entrance to the ground floor suite.

All the windows were open.

Coch alerted Snazel, who hastily evacuated the occupants to the upper floor of the house.

鈥淚 almost tore my son鈥檚 arm off,鈥� he said.

He had a good look at the bear as it ambled through the back yard where his son had been playing just 20 minutes earlier.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a full-grown black bear鈥� Snazel said.

He phoned 911 and a conservation officer came out.

But by the time the officer arrived, the bear had departed.

Earlier in the week, Snazel told The Times there have been several close encounters with the bear in the residential neighbourhood near 206 Street and 98 Avenue in recent weeks, and the animal appeared to be getting less timid about foraging through back yards in broad daylight.

At the very least, Snazel said, there should be some sort of bear warning notice posted in the area of a children鈥檚 playground next to the green belt where the bear appears to be living.

Better yet, he said, the bear should be relocated before authorities have to shoot it.

On Aug. 16, an 91原创 RCMP officer was forced to shoot and kill a bear cub in another north 91原创 neighbourhood when it became aggressive.

Two bears were shot in Lower Mainland neighbourhoods last week, due to aggressive behaviour. One was shot last Tuesday in Anmore, and another was shot Thursday in Port Coquitlam.