Bryn White of the South Okanagan - Similkameen Bear Smart Project gave regional district directors an update on bear issues in the region at last Thursday’s regional district board meeting.
White informed the board that bear calls were on the rise in the area, with 700 calls made for bear issues last year alone. Garbage and fruit are two of the biggest reasons why bears become a problem in residential areas.
“We have seen weekly patterns in bear calls,” she told the board, relating to such things as neighbourhood garbage pickup days. “There are problem calls throughout the entire region.”
White admitted that, even with the adoption of bear smart strategies such as bear proof garbage cans, limiting the time garbage is left at the curb and keeping orchards clean, we may still not be able to solve the bear problem in the Okanagan - Similkameen.