Kelowna

Residents of an Upper Mission neighbourhood want to spread the word that a bear has been sighted in the area, and it appears to be making regular visits.

Photo: Contributed - Google Maps

"The bear is walking in a residential area and he's going into everybody's garbage," says Rena Mitchell.

"The police were called Thursday night (September 20) and they were looking for him in between the houses of our area."

Mitchell is concerned that not everybody in the area is aware of the animal's presence.

"The only warning that we've had is just on our mailbox."

The area is populated by many families and children are often in area, whether heading to school or at play.

Mitchell says many of her neighbours near South Crest Drive and Horn Crescent have seen the bear, usually in the evening, for the last three weeks.

"Now it's getting to the point where he's here every night."

The bear is frequenting a forested area which surrounds Frazer Lake, at the end of Horn Cr., and the area is popular for both hikers and children on their way to school.

"What he's wanting is the garbage," adds Mitchell. "I'm more concerned that people need to get that garbage inside, because he's smelling it."

Conservation Officer Terry Myroniuk told Castanet earlier this year that bears have the ability to remember where they found it and how to get back to it.

As a result, residents who aren't careful with their trash are inviting trouble.

"People just aren't getting it. It takes just one or two people in the neighbourhood to negate all the good practices of all their neighbours. If people think that (the bears) are not going to find it, they're wrong," says Myroniuk.

"The key to this is really getting through to people. I'd like to think that eventually if people hear it enough they'll realize that bears die because they (people) are lazy."

Residents are cautioned to always keep trash in a secure container and never leave their garbage out in the open.

Send your bear photos to news@castanet.net