A bustling summer season has turned deadly for black bears on the West Coast as irresponsible attractant management has led to four being killed over the past 30 days.
Unnatural food-conditioning led to two bears being killed in Tofino in July followed by another two killed in Ucluelet since July 29 and WildSafeBC Pacific Rim coordinator Bob Hansen fears several others are heading towards the same fate.
B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, weB次元官网网址檙e really in the lose-lose part of the picture here,B次元官网网址� Hansen told the Westerly B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still at least two bears in Ucluelet and two bears in Tofino that have all discovered that they can fairly easily access a whole host of unnatural foods that are highly attractive to them.B次元官网网址�
He said bears are eating from unsecured commercial garbage bins and that secured bins are becoming overloaded, leading to visitors and residents leaving garbage around full bins. He added bears have also accessed outdoor freezers in both Tofino and Ucluelet as well as poorly managed composts and chicken coops not equipped with electric fencing.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really the whole gamut and these bears, because theyB次元官网网址檙e really intelligent and theyB次元官网网址檙e using that incredible sense of smell, theyB次元官网网址檙e systematically searching out opportunities and finding them,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淓very time they get another reward like that in terms of a good meal, it just reinforces that behaviour.B次元官网网址�
Hansen was going door-to-door handing out informational resources in Ucluelet on Sunday in an effort to educate the community and reverse the troubling trend of bears becoming habituated and conditioned to unnatural food sources.
B次元官网网址淭he most straightforward approach right in this moment is for people to really tighten things up in their own yard and at their place of work,B次元官网网址� he said.
He added business owners must ensure their staff are keeping garbage bins secured, noting that unsecured commercial bins have been a source of frustration for bear aware residents.
B次元官网网址淢aybe theyB次元官网网址檙e not able to keep on top of keeping it secure all the time, thereB次元官网网址檚 challenges because theyB次元官网网址檙e short-staffed and may have a high staff turnover,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 businesses that are maybe in a spot where residents nearby are walking their garbage down and putting it in a businessB次元官网网址� bin or visitors are doing exactly the same.B次元官网网址�
He said he hopes business owners, district bylaw staff and commercial bin providers can kick off some in depth discussions during the offseason to come up with strategies to mitigate the issue.
B次元官网网址淭his is a chronic issue and right now, at the height of the season, itB次元官网网址檚 also a critical issue,B次元官网网址� he said.
Three bears were killed due to food-conditioning on the West Coast last year, though the year before saw 13 killed due to a high fruit crop and low salmon returns.
Hansen hopes the recent string of black bear deaths will wake residents up to the fact that their actions have consequences
B次元官网网址淚t makes it very real for people, particularly if theyB次元官网网址檝e come to see a bear around and then learn shortly after that itB次元官网网址檚 no longer alive,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 very real, serious consequences both for bears and the community.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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