The experience of a Metchosin woman with a hungry bear last week reminded us of the potential dangers of living in relatively close proximity to these large animals.
The initial news release we received was a lighthearted report about West Shore RCMP officers getting covered in mud helping wrangle the womanB次元官网网址檚 pigs back into their shelter, after they were frightened by a black bear.
As you may have already read in our cover story, we managed to get more details on the pig-and-bear affair, including the fact the bear was about to make a meal out of one of the young porkers.
No wonder the pigs were scared and wanted no part of being returned to a sheltered spot that the bear found its way into looking for dinner. The resident virtually came face to snout with the bear in the dark, a scenario that could well have ended far more badly. She managed to keep her wits, retreat to safety and call for help. But not everyone might be as cool in the face of danger as Nicole Rue was that night in Metchosin.
If youB次元官网网址檇 rather not test your wits against a hungry bear B次元官网网址� this time of year theyB次元官网网址檙e fattening up for winter hibernation B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 some things you can do to help avoid the potential for a human-bear encounter.
A good start is to pick all the fruit off your trees and off the ground. While black bears are mostly interested in grasses, roots, berries and insects, they are opportunistic, eating fish and mammals B次元官网网址� including carrion B次元官网网址� when available and often develop a taste for human foods and garbage if given the chance.
Which is a good reason why anyone who lives on the fringes of a populated area, say in Highlands, Metchosin or even the edges of Langford, should ensure all garbage and kitchen scraps are locked away before being hauled away or taken to the dump, or well buried for those people who do their own composting.
As conservation officer Peter Pauwels noted, thereB次元官网网址檚 still two or three more weeks where people should be vigilant in terms of being bear aware. LetB次元官网网址檚 hope RueB次元官网网址檚 story serves as a good reminder.
