Many Sunshine Coast residents were saddened to hear the news of the destruction of the cinnamon-coloured black bear near Hackett Park this past week. He had been making the rounds in Davis Bay and continued his route to Sechelt.
A bear showing up in a backyard to access unsecured garbage, fruit trees, and other attractants is like trying to put on a seatbelt AFTER an accident has occurred. Prevention is key!
It is shown over and over again that proactive measures are a far more effective method of reducing human-wildlife conflict. Destruction, even relocation of wildlife, does not “fix” the situation. In many cases, relocated bears often die from predation and starvation or they return to human-sourced attractant sites, only to be destroyed at that time. It’s a population sink – if one animal is “removed,” another is sure to take its place, and the cycle continues. A human “habituated” (they have learned to tolerate human presence and lost their natural wariness) and non-natural-sourced “food-conditioned” bear is most often a dead bear.
We can prevent the needless destruction of bears AND keep our communities safer by being aware and making a few small changes to our routine: keep garbage inside until pickup day, pick fruit/nut trees, protect chickens and crops with a properly installed and maintained electric fence, do not put out birdseed/suet until mid-December, do not stock easily accessible outdoor fridges/freezers here in bear country, consider the purchase of a Certified Bear Resistant Container (for more information, drop me a line at [email protected]). Speak to your local elected officials about the need for certified bear resistant bins to be made available in your neighborhood. At the end of the day, it is our responsibility.
There has also been some discussion regarding the leashing of dogs. There is always a bit of resistance to the concept of keeping dogs leashed when out and about. I always advise that when enjoying your time out walking, hiking or biking, you remain aware that there is a lot of wildlife in this space as well. Unleashed dogs often provoke defensive actions from wildlife – and can actually create a risky situation for their owners.
At home, do a quick visual check first and make some noise (human voice) to alert any wildlife of your presence before letting pets outside to do their “business” at night. Always feed pets indoors.
Keep your community safer and wildlife, wild. Visit www.wildsafebc.com for more information.
If you feel that your safety is at risk, you have human-wildlife conflict, or you need to report someone who is attracting dangerous wildlife (confidential), please call the Conservation Officer Service RAPP (Report All Poachers and Polluters) at 1-877-952-7277.
