Bears have been much more active in and around Castlegar this year compared to last, according to the local WildSafeBC co-ordinator, but none have been destroyed.
“Last year the berry crops in the mountains were quite good, so they had a nice, natural food source and there was less need to come into our community in search of our food to top up their diet,” Tara Pejski said.
She is reminding residents to manage their attractants to keep people, neighbourhoods, and bears safe. Late summer and fall are especially important times to be diligent, she added, because bears are focused on consuming as many calories as possible before winter and can quickly learn to return to neighbourhoods where food is easy to find.
That makes it especially important to look around your property for anything that could provide an easy meal.
“Garbage, organics, ripe fruit, pet food, birdseed and compost can all draw bears into neighbourhoods,” Pejski said. “Removing those food sources before a bear finds them is one of the most effective ways we can help prevent conflicts.”
When bears access food from human sources, they can become food-conditioned and increasingly comfortable around homes and people. A bear that accesses any type of food from your yard is almost certain to return, Pejski said, so preventing that behaviour starts with keeping attractants inaccessible.
Bear sightings and conflicts can be reported to the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277. Reporting helps provide important information about wildlife activity and supports efforts to respond to emerging concerns, according to WildSafeBC. Pejski wasn’t aware of any instances of conservation officers killing bears in the Castlegar area this year. None were killed last year either, and the 46 black bear sightings represented one of the quietest years in recent memory.
By contrast, the deaths of two grizzly bears in Nelson this week led to a couple dozen people protesting outside a government office.
Harvest Match returns
If you have more fruit than you can use, you can join Harvest Match Castlegar, which connects fruit-tree owners with volunteers who can help harvest excess produce.
“Harvest Match is a simple way residents can make a real difference during bear season,” Pejski said.
“It gets ripe fruit off trees and the ground, keeps an important attractant out of reach of bears, and makes sure good local food is being used and shared instead of going to waste.”
To get involved, visit Harvest Match Castlegar’s Facebook page. Residents with fruit or nut trees available for harvesting can also pick up a Harvest Match sign at city hall to display on their property and help connect with volunteers.
