A bear was found in the downtown area of Yellowknife on the evening of August 2.

Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) responded after a member of the public called the emergency number.

An ENR officer found the young bear, and once nearby children were moved to safety, shot and killed it, a spokesperson for ENR said.

This is the second bear destroyed in Yellowknife in the last week, after another young bear was spotted and eventually killed between Ndilo and Old Town, July 31.

RELATED REPORTING: A black bear was sighted in N鈥橠ilo Thursday morning, resource officers respond

Jessica Davey-Quantick, a spokesperson for ENR, explained the department prefers to relocate animals but safety is the first priority.

鈥淭he two wild bear incidents in Yellowknife over the last week required quick action to protect nearby families and the safety of the public,鈥� she said. She advised that both bears were displaying behaviours suggesting they were habituated to the city 鈥� a sign it鈥檚 too late to relocate the animal.