Conservation officers have received 18 bear-related complaints this year (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

BEAR AWARE

Conservation officers busy this spring responding to human-bear conflicts

Apr 30, 2019 | 5:12 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s the time of year when more and more bears are awaking from their winter hiberation and on the hunt for food, mainly from natural sources in Kamloops, but their strong sense of smell can also lead them to local neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhoods like Waddington Drive in Sahali have been the highest traffic areas for bears so far this spring. Local conservation officers say there have been 18 bear-related calls in Kamloops, as recently as over the weekend.

“For the most part, just sightings,” noted conservation officer Austin Lord. “There have been a couple complaints of bears getting into people’s garbages. Bears, they aren’t going out looking for your garbage as they are travelling their natural corridors they may smell it.”

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Most bears are just getting up looking for any food they can get their paws on, and it’s not just Sahali they’re targeting. Juniper has had a few bear sightings this year as well.

“All of our major areas in town can have bears due to the fact that they back onto green space, Crown land, any river drainages,” said Lord. “So when the bears wake up, they’re going to want to find that food source, follow that natural travel corridor.”

But that ultimately leads bears into neighbourhoods, especially if garbage is outside and loose.

“Garbage has a very strong odour that attracts bears into our community,” said WildSafe BC provincial coordinator Vanessa Isnardy. “So it’s really important to manage those attractants, and garbage, for example, the best advice is to keep them in secure location, such as your garage.”

Isnardy says it’s equally important to keep your backyard clear of attractants such as birdseed.

“Some of the popular attractants we’ll find in someone’s backyard include birdfeeders,” said Isnardy. “One kilogram of birdseed is up to 8,000 calories.”

WildSafe BC also recommends that homeowners take the time to clean their barbeque to get rid of any remnants that could attract bears.

If you’re on a hike, it’s important now to be more aware of your surroundings for bears and other wildlife. WildSafe also urges people to keep their dogs on a leash.

“Over 50 per cent of bear encounters that have resulted in injuries involved a dog,” said Isnardy. “Bears and wolves are natural enemies, so it can sometimes instigate conflict.”

Isnardy says it is always a good idea to carry bear spray.

“If the bear charges, you want to make a wall, so you point to the ground and spray upwards,” she noted.

Last year, the Conservation Officer Service experienced a down season with only 188 bear calls compared to 406 calls in 2017. They’re urging residents to be more bear aware to avoid any more human-bear conflicts this year.