Since we share the same landscape with bears, it stands to reason that there will be times when bears will be in our living space (just as we are often in theirs.) As long as a bear is moving through our community, is not lingering, and is not interacting with people or our property, then there is no conflict. There are many situations when a bear moving through the community is to be expected, such as when they are trying to access a natural food source like a fish-bearing stream, or trying to access foraging opportunities on the other side of what was once their normal home range.
When bears quit moving through the community and start using it as a foraging area for human-provided foods, then conflicts may develop. Bears that start using human-provided foods (anthropogenic foods, in the words of the biologists) can become food-conditioned. Once a bear starts equating humans with foods, they can lose their natural wariness of humans and become what is called human-habituated (often simply referred to as being habituated). A habituated bear tolerates humans in much closer proximity than what is safe for both bears and humans. This increases the potential for a dangerous interaction between the bears and us.
Garbage:
* 60% of calls to the Conservation Officer Service (COS) regarding black bears, when an attractant was noted was garbage (for the period 2014-2021.)
Fruit Trees:
Black Bears are now entering a phase called Hyperphagia. This is a period of unlimited consumption of both food and water to prepare for many months of slumber. During this time bears can consume up to 20,000 calories a day to increase body fat stores. Bears are looking for the easiest feast, and your garbage and fruit trees are perfect targets. With an uncontrollable drive to eat and a sense of smell better than a Bloodhound, safety can become an issue within communities. WildsafeBC is reminding residents to ensure attractants are managed. If there is a potential wildlife conflict in your community, please contact the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277. This will allow Conservation Officers to assess the risk levels and work towards a safe solution for both the community and the wildlife involved.
For further information regarding attractant management or wildlife conflict, please contact
RDOS Community Coordinator Shelley Fiorito at 250-490-4110 or rdos@wildsafebc.com.