Comox Valley resident Terry Walker had an untimely encounter with a bear when he went for a swim on a hot day early September in the Tsable River near Fanny Bay.
The river was more like a creek, which he easily crossed to find a swimming hole. There was no one around, so he decided to remove his clothing. While standing on a rock and looking down river, a full-grown black bear walked out of the forest onto the river bed. The bear was looking around, sniffing the air.
B次元官网网址淚 froze,B次元官网网址� Walker said. B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 have very good eyesight. He turned as if he was going to start walking upstream towards me.
B次元官网网址淭he fact that I was nude added to the stress of the moment,B次元官网网址� he added with a laugh. B次元官网网址淚 waited until he looked away, then I scampered back to where my backpack and clothes were. I must have set a record for getting dressed quickly.B次元官网网址�
Remembering that bears donB次元官网网址檛 like noise, he started to shout, and hit rocks with sticks until the animal disappeared.
Walker wishes to warn the public that the chance of interactions are high because bears are B次元官网网址渃oming down lower than normal.B次元官网网址� He said the Tsable River by the Old Island Highway is teeming with salmon that have nowhere to go.
B次元官网网址淭he rivers are low, so the fish are either holding offshore, or theyB次元官网网址檙e in the lower reaches concentrated, which means competition (among bears),B次元官网网址� said conservation officer Mike Newton, sergeant for the North Island Zone (Black Creek). B次元官网网址淪ub-dominant bears will be pushed out of feed zones, and looking for food. There will be some that can eke out a feed out of some of those concentrated pools of salmon, and others will be pushed out.B次元官网网址�
While we canB次元官网网址檛 control Mother Nature, the B.C. Conservation Service reminds residents they can control certain things at home that might attract bears to their properties.
B次元官网网址淥ur constant messaging is to cast a very critical eye to your own property and that of your neighbours,B次元官网网址� Newton said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a community effort, and make sure there are no attractants out at any time.B次元官网网址�
Bear attractants include garbage, ripened fruit, barbecues and bird feeders. Newton implores residents who spot people dragging garbage to the curb the night before pickup to remind neighbours not to do so because the upsetting end result could be a bear thatB次元官网网址檚 put down because it had become habituated.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 one of our greatest frustrations is to see that cycle continue,B次元官网网址� Newton said. B次元官网网址淚t has to be a community effort and responsibility.B次元官网网址�
The public is urged to call Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) at 1-877-952-7277, or bylaw control with any concerns about wild animal interactions.
