Castlegar residents are being reminded of the importance of managing attractants this fall as bears enter hyperphagia.
During hyperphagia, bears actively seek food to prepare for hibernation, trying to consume as much as 20,000 calories per day to build up their fat reserves. This is why WildSafeBC Castlegar urges residents to diligently manage household waste and treat any bears that appear as unwelcome visitors.
“We have officially entered the time of year when bears are most active and looking to consume as many calories as possible,” says Tara Pejski, WildSafeBC Castlegar Coordinator.
“Keeping yards and neighbourhoods free of attractants such as garbage, organic waste, fruit trees, pet food, pumpkins, and birdseed is the best way to keep the community safe and wildlife wild. If a bear or other wildlife can access any food from your yard, they will likely continue to return.”
Ensuring that all food sources are removed is the best way to keep residents and bears safe. Any sightings or conflicts should be reported to the Conservation Officer Service.
Bears can become food-conditioned and lose their natural fear of humans if repeatedly exposed to attractants such as garbage, pet food, or ripe fruit.
Residents can help by taking the following actions:
Manage Your Curbside Collection Carts
- Lock and store garbage and organics carts in a secure building between your collection days.
- Carts left outside must have both clips locked and be chained to a strong post or tree between collections. It is more difficult for bears to break into a cart if it is fixed upright.
- Only place carts on the curb with clips unlocked between 4 – 7 a.m. on your collection day. Fines up to $200 may be issued for carts not secured or placed on the curb outside collection windows.
- If your cart or clips are damaged, contact the City.
Reduce Odours
- Freeze smelly food items and add them to your cart on collection day (e.g., meat, bones, rotten fruit).
- Take additional garbage to the landfill if needed.
- Clean your cart regularly by adding ¼ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of Borax to absorb odours.
- Secure and manage backyard compost carefully by adding small amounts at a time and never adding meat, dairy, bones, or grease.
Prevent Other Attractants
- Pick all domestic fruit and nuts as they ripen. If you have more fruit than you can use, join the Harvest Match Castlegar program to connect with volunteers and community members who can help you pick your fruit and reduce food waste.
- Feed pets inside and store pet food indoors.
- Remove bird feeders until winter.
- Install electric fencing around gardens, compost, and other potential attractants.
“Harvest Match is a fantastic opportunity for our community to reduce bear attractants while connecting with neighbours and sharing resources,” says Pejski.
“The program matches residents with fruit trees with volunteers who can pick the fruit, helping to keep bears out of neighbourhoods and using fresh, local produce.”
For more information on managing bear attractants, visit www.wildsafebc.com.
To get involved in the Harvest Match program, visit Harvest Match Castlegar’s Facebook page.
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