West Kelowna

A quiet West Kelowna neighbourhood welcomed in some uninvited guests Tuesday.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Mamma bear and a curious cub take refuge up a tree in a West Kelowna neighbourhood

A mamma bear and her two cubs have taken up refuge halfway up a large tree in a backyard on Hants Road.

Steve Wraith who lives next door says he noticed the bears Monday near the turtle pond on Westlake Road.

By Tuesday morning, Wraith says the bears were nestled up the neighbour's tree.

"I called conservation and let them know. They said they would come and check it out. I went back in for a nap and when I came out, mother bear was gone," says Wraith.

"I couldn't find her until I looked behind me and she was in the cul-de-sac looking at a couple of trees that had berries on them."

Wraith says he called conservation again to let them know the bear was now rummaging for food.

Both conservation and RCMP have been to the scene and have decided to let the bears try and leave on their own.

"They basically said it's too risky to tranquillize and move them. It's not something they like to do all the time," says Wraith.

"Basically, they will come down on their own when they are are not threatened."

At one point, after rummaging for food, Wraith says the mother bear napped at the bottom of the tree in the garden.

"When the RCMP came they turned on the siren to try and scare the bears away. That's when mamma bear climbed back up the tree."

The mother bear didn't take her eyes off of people at the base of the tree trying to get a look see.

Several times she made loud noises indicating she was not pleased with all the attention.

Wraith says neighbours have been made aware of the bears and are making sure garbage and other food sources are being kept inside.

He says this isn't the first time bears have come through the neighbourhood but, as far as he knows, it's the first time cubs have been spotted.

Update: After the story was posted Wraith reported,  "They left about 2: 30 p.m." He says the mom came down first and  the cubs followed. "It was interesting to watch that's for sure."