Members of the Conservation Officer Service (COS) are planning to conduct random property inspections in an effort to reduce wildlife conflicts as bears head into denning season.
“The Conservation Officer Service and WildSafe BC will be focusing on preventing conflicts with wildlife through prevention efforts during the late summer weeks and fall,” said South Coast COS Sgt. Dean Miller.
Officers will be looking for food sources such as garbage, fruit and birdfeeders that are left unattended outside.
Businesses and residents can be charged for “attracting dangerous wildlife to land or premise” under the BC Wildlife Act.
Preventive measures largely entail removing attractants. Keep garbage inside and only leave it out the day of curbside pickup, pick fruit before it’s ripe and bring it indoors to ripen in paper bags, and hang birdfeeders in areas inaccessible to bears and clean the ground of seed daily.
“The public is encouraged to be vigilant at this time of year when wild food sources become scarce and bears are looking for more calories before denning,” Miller said.
