A bear was killed after becoming addicted to non-natural food sources at a Ucluelet campground last month and several others are heading towards the same fate if residents and visitors continue failing to secure their attractants.
B次元官网网址淐onservation officers donB次元官网网址檛 kill bears, people leaving their garbage out kill bears. WeB次元官网网址檙e just the mechanism,B次元官网网址� Sgt. Stuart Bates of the BC Conservation Officer Service told the Westerly B次元官网网址.
This was the first bear killed on the West Coast this season.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 behaviour had gone beyond what we would allow,B次元官网网址� Bates said. B次元官网网址淲e never ever remove bears or any predator for their presence, we remove them because of their behaviour. If their behaviour escalates to the point where we think itB次元官网网址檚 starting to pose a public safety risk, weB次元官网网址檒l remove it.B次元官网网址�
He added bear sightings are being reported in neighbourhoods in both Tofino and Ucluelet and heB次元官网网址檚 urging residents and visitors to keep their attractants secured.
B次元官网网址淲hat we want to do is nip it in the bud quick,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f we can get that attractant secured right away so the bear doesnB次元官网网址檛 get habituated and food conditioned, there is hope for them to return back to nature. The problem is, if they keep continuously having access to garbage or bird food or dog food, they become conditioned that thatB次元官网网址檚 their source of food and they become habituated to the presence of people and lose their fear of us. And, once a bear, or any predator for that matter, has learned not to fear people and that we are a source of food, thatB次元官网网址檚 a recipe for disaster.B次元官网网址�
Anyone who leaves attractants unsecured could face a fine of up to $575 under the B.C. Wildlife Act.
WildSafeBC Pacific Rim coordinator Bob Hansen said bear activity is not surprising this time of year as berry crops have not yet ripened.
B次元官网网址淲e have a very high density of bears and we donB次元官网网址檛 see the vast majority of those bears because they are very attune to finding and taking full advantage of the abundance of natural foods in our area,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e been hitting grasses, sedges and herbs hard and now weB次元官网网址檙e sort of in this transition where theyB次元官网网址檙e moving on from the grasses and sedges and such but the berries arenB次元官网网址檛 quite ripe yetB次元官网网址his isnB次元官网网址檛 unexpected right now, we just need to take some extra actions to make sure that bears arenB次元官网网址檛 tempted into conflict situations.B次元官网网址�
Hansen hosted a workshop with staff from four local campgrounds in the spring and said many campgrounds are following the protocols set out in the BARE Campsite Program.
Hansen helped create the program with the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in 1998 and has been thrilled with its success.
B次元官网网址淯p until we created that program, the park was destroying one to three bears a year often because of issues in the campground and since 1998 theyB次元官网网址檝e only destroyed two bears,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f itB次元官网网址檚 implemented really well, it obviously works.B次元官网网址�
He said the program is based on the simple principle of keeping any food, garbage and other attractants out of sight.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 when theyB次元官网网址檙e away from their campsite or asleep that a bear can really come in and check out a campsite and that campsite, as we refer to it, needs to be bare,B次元官网网址� he said.
He said the local campgrounds that have implemented the program have not had bear issues since and WildSafeBC is actively promoting it across the province.
He added bears have been accessing residential garbage in Tofino and Ucluelet neighbourhoods over the past week.
B次元官网网址淭he bears in both communities are showing up in different parts of the towns. TheyB次元官网网址檙e really moving around and because theyB次元官网网址檝e had some success accessing garbage they will be on the lookout for anything that isnB次元官网网址檛 secured in terms of garbage,B次元官网网址� he said.
He said the easiest way to avoid conflicts with bears is to ensure residents are keeping their garbage inside until the morning of pickup, adding homemade sheds rarely do the trick.
B次元官网网址淔or a food conditioned bear thatB次元官网网址檚 determined, that wonB次元官网网址檛 deter that bear. They will break that structure apart to get at the garbage,B次元官网网址� he said.
He added outdoor freezers should also be avoided, recounting a time a local bear ripped the lid off a freezer that was locked by three padlocks.
B次元官网网址淔reezers are not constructed to keep bears out,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hey just arenB次元官网网址檛 built to withstand the strength of a bear.B次元官网网址�
He urges residents to be cautious with their composts, especially if a bear is active in their neighbourhood.
B次元官网网址淵ou donB次元官网网址檛 want to have any meat, or bones or fish scraps, I donB次元官网网址檛 even put eggshells in mine,B次元官网网址� he said.
He added that anyone with a chicken coop should all have an electric fence system and said WildSafeBC has helped about 10 local chicken owners install electric fencing and none have reported any problems with bears since.
B次元官网网址淭here are ways to protect your chickens and your livestock, thereB次元官网网址檚 ways to prevent bears accessing garbage, thereB次元官网网址檚 ways to prevent them accessing compost and now is definitely the time to really pursue any options,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭ake all those precautions.B次元官网网址�
More information can be found at wildsafebc.com as well as the WildSafeBC Pacific Rim and WildSafeBC Hitacu-Macoah Facebook pages.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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