It appears some of Kimberley’s bears didn’t get the memo about hibernation season.
A resident turned to social media last week after seeing a black bear wandering near their property last Wednesday.
Wildsafe BC warns while bears are normally hibernating this time of year, they may remain active if they have access to nearby food.
Residents are urged to discourage bears from roaming by removing attractants like garbage, compost, bird seed and barbeque grease from their properties.
You’re also warned to stay away from any potentially orphaned bear cups.
Any bear sightings should be reported to the Conservation Officer Service.
– Photo taken by Loni Nicholson
The best thing people can do for bears that are still active is to make sure people in the community are aware and to continue to keep all attractants secure and inaccessible including garbage, compost, bird seed, barbeque grease and anything else that can provide a caloric reward to these bears.
This will motivate them to seek out a den. We recommend people continue to report all sightings to the Conservation Officer Service (1-877-952-7277) and subscribe to free WARP alerts on our website: https://wildsafebc.com/programs/what-is-warp/
Orphaned cubs of the year that are doing poorly may need further consideration.
If the public has concerns, they should call the Conservation Officer Service and follow these steps:
1. DO NOT try to approach, capture or feed the cub. The cub’s best chances of survival is to not become habituated to people or feed on non-natural food sources.
2. DO report the cub to the RAPP line (1-877-952-7277) so that the Conservation Officer Service has up to date information on its whereabouts and can assess for the appropriate response.
3. DO provide information as to its size (e.g., large house cat, medium-sized dog, large dog), and its behaviour (feeding on natural foods, getting into unsecured garbage, lethargic etc).
– Contains information provided by WildSafe BC
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