The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is asking West Shore residents to lock up their garbage and any other attractants after an incident involving a bear getting into someones garbage over the weekend.
On Saturday, May 4, West Shore RCMP responded to a report of a bear getting into a garbage in the Florence Lake area, an area notorious for urban bear activity.
“Certainly, we’ve got bear issues,” said Scott Norris, a representative of the CSO. “The key problem is that there’s people who leave garbage accessible to bears to get into.”
Although there were previous reports of a bear being euthanized in the area, the bear left before officers resorted to using force.
“Officers did not kill the bear, but bears that continue to hang around in the daytime, getting into garbage, are posing an increased public safety risk and it may be euthanized if the behaviour escalates,” he said.
He urges people who live in areas with lots of bear activity to lock up their garbage, put bird feed away and keep pet food inside to prevent human wildlife conflict.
“As long as people are leaving out attractants and the bears are continuing to get in, that public safety risk continues and escalates as time goes on.”
Currently, CSO said a family group of bears that “make the rounds” between the top of Bear Mountain into Florence Lake, and they are looking to start education programs for residents to understand the law around leaving out attractants, and they will look to start enforcement against those who continue.
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