Two juvenile grizzly bears are currently being monitored by B.C. Conservation Officers in an area off Mission Road, at the north end of the City of Cranbrook.

The two grizzlies have been seen regularly by residents over the past few days, but are not causing any trouble, according to the Conservation Officer Service.

Earlier this week, a mother bear and three cubs were seen in the Kennedy Road area, while a lone black bear had been spotted in the same area feeding on choke cherry bushes before moving closer to the popular Rails-to-Trails pathway nearby.

The Conservation Officer Service is expecting to see a growing number of bears and perhaps an increase in bear issues over the next month, as bears will be foraging for food for the winter. With the drought this summer, the berry crop is extremely poor and bears are moving closer to communities where food may be more easily accessible.

It is important for people – especially in the periphery of the city – to be very diligent with managing their garbage properly and cleaning up any fallen fruit from trees on their properties. Bears will be hungry and looking for easy meals.

Please do not contact City of Cranbrook Bylaw staff or the local branch of the SPCA with wildlife issues. They are only able to deal with domestic animals – not wildlife.

If you see or have issues with any wildlife, including bears, please contact the provincial RAPP line to report it at 1-877-952-7277, 24 hours a day, 7 days per weeks. This information is passed along directly to the local branch of the Conservation Officer Service, where it is recorded and depending on the wildlife issue it will be responded to.

City of Cranbrook

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