Be Bear Aware
The natural curiosity of bears brings them into our communities. While exploring our residential areas, they become ensnared in a web of garbage and other attractants. Bears are ruled by their stomachs; if they cannot find the food they need, they soon leave the area. Foraging in communities is a learned behaviour that threatens the safety of both the bears and the residents of that community.
Bear Aware encourages people to change their behaviour. If people do not make bear attractants such as garbage and fruit available to bears, we can minimize human-bear conflict. Preventing these conflicts makes our communities safer and more sustainable. The program strives, through proper waste and attractant management, to prevent bears from lingering in our urban areas.
It is hoped that this reduction of bear attractants will minimize complaints and reduce the number of animals that have to be destroyed or relocated each year. This reduction of bear attractants (and hence human-bear conflict) not only protects a significant wildlife resource, but also frees Conservation Officers to pursue other important duties - and saves the taxpayer money.
On average 500 black bears and 40 grizzlies are killed every year in BC. Most of these deaths are preventable. For more information on preventing these destructions, please explore the rest of this website.