Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址檚 West Coast is failing its local bear population as the death toll caused by unsecured attractants has reached eight this season.

Two bears were killed in Ucluelet last week after becoming conditioned to improperly stored garbage.

B次元官网网址淚t appears that thereB次元官网网址檚 likely at least one, if not two, more that are what we would call B次元官网网址榝ood conditioned,B次元官网网址� actively looking for garbage and finding it and exactly the same thing is happening in Tofino,B次元官网网址� WildSafeBC Pacific Rim coordinator Bob Hansen told the Westerly B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淪adly, the toll is going to keep climbing as the bears keep finding garbage.B次元官网网址�

Hansen and WildSafeBC Hitacu-Macoah coordinator Marianne Paquette work to spread education around coexisting with wildlife throughout the West Coast, including door to door canvassing, workshops, social media outreach and in-person events.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of effort going on, but unfortunately the bears are giving us a report card and itB次元官网网址檚 showing that thereB次元官网网址檚 still a lot of problems in our communities,B次元官网网址� Hansen said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just been continuous this season with the bears able to find things like garbage and such thatB次元官网网址檚 left outside.B次元官网网址�

With eight bears now killed this season, Hansen said Conservation Officers are planning to travel to the West Coast for waste management audit patrols, adding the COS has informed him that the conflict numbers on the West Coast are the B次元官网网址渨orst in their zone.B次元官网网址�

He said bear sightings are being reported daily, noting a report came in Sunday morning about a bear trying to get into a chicken coop in Tofino.

B次元官网网址淭he added dynamic thatB次元官网网址檚 at play right now is that this is the season where the bears are trying to consume as many calories as they can on a daily basis to try to be in the best possible condition to make it through the winter,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e trying to eat up to 20,000 calories a day so that physiological drive to put on fat is really driving them right now so theyB次元官网网址檙e looking hard for easy calories.B次元官网网址�

He said those calories are coming in by way of garbage left outside, improperly mixed composts, outdoor freezers, chicken coops without electrical fencing, pet food left outside, uncleaned barbecues and a variety of other unnatural attractants.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e actively searching our communities and finding all these sorts of things on a daily basis,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭here have been a lot of improvements, but thereB次元官网网址檚 just a lot of work still to be done, as the bears are showing us.B次元官网网址�

He added once a bear begins finding consistent sources of unnatural food, its behaviours can escalate, leading to structural damage as it becomes motivated to break into sheds, freezers and other storage spaces searching for more.

He said both bears killed last week were adults, though one was significantly emaciated and appeared to have serious health issues.

In order to prevent further deaths, he urges residents to pay closer attention to their attractant management.

B次元官网网址淚ndividuals, families and businesses need to have a hard look at their own situation and ask themselves, B次元官网网址業s there anything that we have out that a bear could get into?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he said.

andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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