By Chad Klassen

Bear-human conflicts significantly down in Kamloops

Aug 16, 2016 | 1:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s been a relatively quiet season for Conservation Officers, who aren’t seeing quite the number of bear-human conflicts in Kamloops they did last summer.

Conservation has only put down two bears this year compared to 11 last year. The number of complaints from residents in Kamloops is also significantly down. Complaints about bears in June, July, and August is down 76% compared to the five-year average. There have been only six complaints in June, 16 in July, and six so far in August.

Kevin Van Damme says cooler temperatures and record amounts of rainfall this summer has helped provide a healthy berry crop.

“The berry crops are doing really well. The bears have lots of food to eat,” says Conservation Officer Kevin Van Damme. “We are seeing a few bears in town, but for the most part we’re not seeing the volume of bears we typically have in Kamloops at this time.” 

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But with hot and dry weather expected the next couple weeks, Van Damme says fruit trees will start to ripen and bears will soon follow the smell of that secondary food source.

“Usually by the third week of August. The fruit on our trees starts to ripen, and that smell in the air starts to attract those bears that are on the perimeter around town,” he says. “Those high-energy food sources are really important for bears in the late summer into the fall.”  

Conservation Officers say the Shuswap has been the only problem area in the region, with poor garbage management in the lakeside community.