Be Bear Aware

A tranquilized black bear being removed from the Parkinson Recreation Center in Kelowna by Conservation Officers and RCMP is a stark reminder that bears are actively foraging in and around our communities. Bears live to eat and as we approach the fall, an increasing number of bears will be visiting residential areas in search of food. Like the black bear that found its way to the Parkinson Recreation Center, many bears make an easy meal out of improperly stored garbage and other household attractants.

Bears that frequent residential areas and feed on human-related food sources can become habituated to human presence and food-conditioned. When this occurs, a potential safety risk exists for both bears and the public.

Local Bear Aware Program Delivery Specialists Rebecca Whidden and Danielle Drieschner are reminding Okanagan residents to be Bear Aware and help prevent bear-human conflicts in our communities. On average, 950 black bears and 45 grizzly bears are destroyed each year in BC due to bear-human conflicts resulting from poorly managed attractants.

The main attractants that lure bears away from their natural food sources and into our backyards include garbage, fruit trees, compost, bird feeders, barbecues, and pet food. “Bear-proofing” your home can be as simple as keeping your garbage in the house, garage or shed until the morning of pick-up picking ripe fruit and fallen fruit daily replacing unused fruit trees with a non-fruit-bearing alternative composting responsibly and not adding fats, meat, or dairy products to your compost using bird feeders only in the winter burning off your barbecue grill after each use and storing it covered in a secure area bringing pet food dishes inside after use and storing pet and livestock food indoors. By “bear-proofing” your home and making these attractants unavailable, you remove the reward and encourage bears to move on and seek out natural food sources.

For more information on becoming Bear Aware, visit www.bearaware.bc.ca or contact your local Bear Aware Program Delivery Specialists at 808-BEAR (2327) or 469-6142. The Bear Aware Program is always looking for dedicated volunteers to assist in program delivery in the Central Okanagan and welcome public inquiries. If you have a bear incident to report to a Conservation Officer please call 1-877-952-7277.