A bear has been spotted roaming through yards in the Little Mountain area, specifically Brentwood Drive.
Niki Tavouktsoglou shared photos of a bear walking through a backyard near the Hope Slough in Chilliwack. A conservation officer has been called about the bear, but since it is a common sighting in that area they are not attending. While it is a residential area, it is also surrounded by green spaces where plenty of wildlife lives.
To learn more about black bears, and how to deter them from your property, visit WildSafeBC.
Their page on black bears states that there is no need for alarm, but to be aware:
“Since we share the same landscape with bears, it stands to reason that there are going to be times when bears will be in our living space (just as we are often in theirs),” they say. “As long as a bear is moving through our community, is not lingering, and is not interacting with us or our property then there is no conflict. There are many situations when a bear moving through the community is to be expected: e.g. when they are trying to access a natural food source such as a fish bearing stream or trying to get to foraging opportunities on the other side of what was once their normal home range.”
They say that if you have a bear encounter remember these safety basics:
• Assess what type of encounter it is – defensive or predatory
• A defensive encounter will usually be marked by a lot of noise by the bear and a head on rush at you.
• Hold your ground and pull out your bear spray and release the safety
• Speak to the bear in a loud low voice saying things like “Whoa bear – you’d better back off”
• If the bear continues its charge and closes to within 5-10 meters, deploy your bear spray in a short burst, aiming from the ground up to create a wall between you and the bear. When the bear retreats, head back to your vehicle and contact the Conservation Officer Reporting line as soon as possible. Alert others in the area to the presence of the bear.
• If the bear breaks off its charge before you have to deploy your spray – take a step or two back away from the bear. Continue to speak in a low voice. Do not make direct eye contact with the bear. Keep your bear spray at the ready. Once the bear knows you are not a threat it should leave or return to what it was protecting. Continue to back away and keep an eye on the bear. Return to your vehicle and alert the authorities and your co-workers as to the presence of the bear.
