Black bear sightings, bears accessing garbage, bears climbing onto porches, causing property damage, looking into windows, bears swatting dogs and bears bluff charging people at night have all been reported throughout the Elk Valley and South Country, says WildSafeBC Elk Valley in its latest report.

Fernie

Bear sightings throughout Fernie; on 5th street, all along 4th Avenue, by the Courthouse and City Hall, on 8th, 9th and 11th Avenues in the Annex.

Sparwood

Bear accessing garbage and causing property damage in Sparwood Heights, Mountainview and Spardell Mobile Home Parks.

Elkford

Bears reported accessing garbage along Minto Crescent, Alpine Way, Balmer Crescent, Cassidy Crescent.

Be prepared and expect to encounter bears anytime, anyplace.

At home: Bear proof your property: lock up the garbage, clean up the fruit, feed pets indoors, keep pets indoors at night and get rid of anything that might attract bears to your property. Encourage and help your neighbours do the same.

In town or on the trails: If you encounter a bear, remain calm, identify yourself as human with a calm voice, back away slowly and leave the bear an escape route.

Are you comfortable with bears, even a grizzly and cubs in your backyard? Bears getting garbage in your yard will often drag it to another property. Your negligence is jeopardizing yours and other people’s safety. If you have garbage in the backyard, under the carport, on the deck, apple trees that haven’t been picked, pet food outside, chicken coops or anything, expect bears, even grizzly bears to turn up looking for easy food. Remove the attractants, bears will move on. If it is safe to do so, scare the bears off your property, a car alarm works well, air horn, bang pots and pans even a loud electric guitar has proven to deter bears.

We live in wildlife habitat. Be aware of your surroundings and respectful of the environment. If you observed dangerous wildlife accessing garbage or other human supplied food sources that cannot be scared off (a bear, cougar or wolf seen in an urban area), contact Bylaw Services and call the Conservation Officer Service Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) 24 hr hotline on 1-877-952-7277. This allows officers to identify current hot spot locations and work with both residents and wildlife to encourage use of natural habitats and food sources before wildlife becomes habituated and/or a safety concern.

For more information on keeping communities’ safe and wildlife wild please visit www.wildsafebc.com, or follow us on Facebook WildSafeBC Elk Valley.

Lead image: This large black bear was baited into the Annex in Fernie. WildSafeBC Elk Valley image

WildSafeBC Elk Valley

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