WildSafeBC Castlegar said there’s been an increase in bear activity over the last few weeks and urges residents to do their part in removing attractants from their properties.
Community Coordinator Tara Pejski said it’s not unusual to see bear activity increase this time of year, but it’s still important to try and prevent them from getting too habituated.
“The goal is always to keep them wild. If they can come into our yards and access things like garbage, fruit trees, pet food, bird seeds, barbecues, etc., it’s such a good food intake for them, and they don’t have to work hard to get it. They stick around town because it’s much easier than foraging in the wild, which is what we would prefer.”
Pejski noted that in the past, the activity has been more prominent at night, whereas this year she’s been getting more reports during the day.
“Usually, it’s more common to get these reports at night, but we’re seeing more activity during the day, which is a little bit interesting to me.”
Castlegar residents tend to be compliant in removing attractants from their yards, stated Pejski, but she mentioned there’s been a bit of a learning curve with the City’s new curbside organic bin program that some people are still adjusting to.
“Last August, we rolled out the organic program, so I do think there’s still a bit of a learning curve around the organic bins. Even if people only had yard waste or branches in the bin, that bin still needs to be locked and secured.
“A habituated bear just sees the carts and automatically associates them with food, and so even if it’s just branches, they don’t know that until after they’ve broken your cart and investigated. Plus, if there are bugs, grass clippings, or some edible plants and stuff in there, that’s right up their alley.”
This applies to all wildlife, not just bears, with Pejski adding that skunks, rats, and raccoons also enjoy garbage, organics, bird seed, and pet food as a food source.
So far, most of the reports have involved black bears, although Pejski said there is one grizzly bear that frequents the city, but usually, sightings aren’t reported until the fall.
Pejski encourages anyone with questions, concerns, or requests regarding wildlife in the city to reach out to her so WildSafe can continue to meet the demands of the community.
“If people ever have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always trying to do outreach, workshops and presentations, so if you have questions or requests, don’t hesitate to let us know.”
More information on WildSafeBC Castlegar can be found here.
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