- Bear warnings are a sign of spring
Spring has come. And with it our local bear population is waking up and is hungry. Your chances of meeting a bear are higher now.
I personally like the idea of sharing our environment with bears. We are the newcomers here. And these creatures are generally not a problem.
But if you don’t fancy meeting a bear then there are a few things you should bear in mind (sorry!)
Spring and fall are the times when bears are most actively out there foraging for food. In the spring they are refueling after their winter’s hibernation. In the fall they are fattening up in preparation for the winter.
At both of these times you are more likely to meet a bear on the trails. Creeks and canyons act as highways for the bears moving up and down the mountains. Trails near these areas are likely to see more bears than those further away from these convenient bearways.
If you do go on the trails, a bear bell or other means of warning the bears that you are coming is wise. We have a bear bell on the dog. You could whistle or sing!
The best way of living with bears is to make sure that you don’t leave out food or other bear attractants. Bears have a strong sense of smell and can be drawn to your food from a long way away. Garbage is the obvious attractant. We are advised to put out our garbage in the morning, though a lot of people do leave it out overnight.
In North Vancouver last week, outside freezers and fridges were targeted. Many people have fridges or freezers in their garages or carports. These could attract a hungry bear.
There was also an incident where a bear tore the cover off a hot tub. It wasn’t that he wanted to soak his aching muscles! Apparently the insulation in some covers smells like bee hives – and the bear was after a tasty snack.
Unfortunately bears who get used to relying on human food sources become a nuisance. Generally they are relocated to more remote areas – round Squamish for instance – but sometimes if they keep coming back they do have to be shot. So being careful about leaving out food and getting up early on garbage day could save a bear’s life.
