People and bears on the Sunshine Coast live in close proximity to each other.
In order to reduce the conflict that could potentially arise between people and bears, it is important to ensure that we all manage the attractants in our yards and neighbourhoods in a responsible manner.
Attractants include, but are not limited to, the following: garbage, bird feeders, barbecues, compost, fruit trees, bee hives, and pet food. The focus of the Bear Aware program is to bring to the public's attention the reasons why bears are visiting our neighbourhoods and suggest ways to alleviate the increasing number of these situations. Bears are opportunistic omnivores and are always in search of their next meal. The odours in our yards and neighbourhoods often attract bears, and these food sources offer them calorie-rich resources for very little energy expenditure. By not managing the attractants in our yards, we are responsible for placing both the public and the bears at risk. This gives rise to the phrase "problem" or "nuisance" bears. However, these terms unfairly place all the responsibility on the bears, whereas in reality, this behaviour is a direct result of human actions and mismanagement. By allowing bears into our yards we either directly or indirectly begin to change their behaviour.
Bears are naturally wary of people, however if they continue to come into contact with people with no positive or negative ramifications, then they become human-habituated. Human-habituated bears are those bears that have lost their natural uneasiness and flee response to people. If, when overcoming this natural fear of people, there is also a food reward, then a bear may become conditioned to human food, thus making an association between people and food, and become food-conditioned. A bear that is both food-conditioned and human-habituated could pose a potential threat to the public and this is a situation often dealt with by a conservation officer. Conservation officers have a very difficult and demanding job, and they often receive negative feedback from the public in regards to "problem" bears. However, it is important to remember that these situations are created by the mismanagement of attractants by the public, and in these situations the conservation officers have a legal responsibility to act under the mandate of public safety. The success in reducing the number of bear complaints and subsequent deaths of bears, depends on how we as members of this community decide to manage our yards and neighbourhoods. If the root cause of this problem is not dealt with, then it does not matter by which method a bear is removed, as a vacancy is created for yet another bear to move in and so continues the cycle. AttractantsGarbage: It is important to keep garbage inside and to not put it out until the morning of pick-up in a sealed container. Try to freeze pungent wastes (meat, fish, bones) until garbage day to combat odours. Lobby your local government for a bear-proof waste management system. Bird feeders: Either remove bird feeders until the winter time when the birds could benefit most from them, or make sure that they are placed well away from an accessible place for bears, and be sure to remove any and all fallen seed from the ground. Barbecues: Be sure to burn off all excess grease from barbecues after each use and keep the grill clean. If there is a grease trap, be sure to empty and clean it thoroughly after each use. When the barbecue has cooled down, make sure that it is covered. Composting: By not composting meat, dairy, or any fats and oils, you begin to reduce the odours from compost. Your compost should not smell, and if it does, something is wrong. Turn the compost regularly to provide oxygen and to aid in decomposition, and if the compost continues to smell add lime and/or old leaves and/or old grass clippings. You can attempt to compost kitchen waste indoors using worms (vermi-compost) in a sealed container. Fruit trees: If you do not want bears in your yard, then it is best to remove all fruit-bearing trees and/or shrubs from your property and have them replaced with local non-fruit bearing trees. If you decide to keep fruit-bearing trees on your property, then the fruit must be harvested, and all fruit picked up off the ground. If this is not possible, then talk with neighbours for assistance in exchange for the fruit. Another possibility is to put up electric fencing around fruit trees so as to deter bears. Beehives: Put electric fencing around bee hives, or have them placed on a platform with an overhang at least two metres above the ground. Avoid placing beehives in prime bear habitat such as a berry patch or riparian zone. Remember, feeding bears, even unintentionally, is against the law in B.C., and fines can and will be issued by the conservation officer. In order for the Bear Aware program to be successful, it is important that the public become involved.
If you are interested in assisting in raising awareness about reducing human-bear conflict, or have any questions, contact me at 604-741-7185 or email [email protected].
