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Think like a bear in your backyard this spring
By Thea Rodgers
Spring has sprung, and with it so have several animals that spent the long winter sleeping.
Our primary concern as we move into May is with hungry, recently awakened black bears moving from their denning sites to valley bottoms and urban areas in search of food.
At this time, easily accessible food sources in your backyard might include bird feeders (both seeds and hummingbird nectar), barbecues, livestock, and outdoor pet foods.
We can’t forget, of course, the ongoing number one culprit for human-bear conflicts in B.C. — garbage.
A good thing to do at this time of year is to take a look around your backyard and “think like a bear.” With a sense of smell almost 2,000 times better than a human’s, what might I sniff out? What might be accessible to my nimble claws and deft climbing skills? What might pack a punch of calories to help meet my requirement of up to 20,000 calories per day?
Through the eyes of a bear, that bird feeder in your backyard sure looks like an easy target.
If you do see a bear in your yard, we encourage you to report the sighting to the BC Conservation Officer Service hotline: 1-877-952-7277. This generates a report, which notifies your local WildSafeBC coordinator to go canvass the neighbourhood and ensure everyone is responsibly managing their attractants.
Calling in promptly gives the animal a chance to move out of the area with a lower risk of becoming food-conditioned or habituated to people.
WildSafeBC is a non-profit organization that helps reduce the occurrence of human-wildlife conflict in our communities, keeping wildlife wild and our communities safe.
Community Coordinators will be out in your area soon, doing attractant checks and sharing information about how to make your property safer for you and our local wildlife. To find out who the coordinator is in your area, visit www.wildsafebc.com and click “Contact”.
WildSafeBC Columbia Valley gratefully acknowledges the financial support from The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, The Columbia Basin Trust, The BC Conservation Foundation, Regional District of East Kootenay, District of Invermere, and Village of Radium Hot Springs.
If you have a question or concern about wildlife, please contact your local WildSafeBC coordinator or the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277.
– Thea Rodgers is the WildSafeBC Community Coordinator for Radium Hot Springs and RDEK Electoral Areas F & G
