It wasn’t exactly the Teddy bear’s picnic but a hungry bear drew a lot of attention in Coldstream.
Employees from Cidel Moving and Storage were hauling items into a house on Tebo Dive Monday at 2 p.m. when they noticed rustling in some bushes.
“We saw something and thought it was a dog but it was a bear,” said Rick Zoethout, with Cidel.
“It came right over to a table where there were some chestnuts and wolfed them right down.”
Once the chestnuts were gone the bear wandered away.
The bear didn’t threaten anyone.
“He was minding his own business,” said Zoethout.
The Ministry of Environment points out that bears are common in the North Okanagan and at this time of the year, they are seeking food to build up fat reserves for hibernation.
As a result, the ministry insists that potential food sources should be restricted to prevent bears from visiting residential yards.
Secure garbage cans and food for pets and livestock and residents are urged to take down bird feeders as they can attract bears.
“During bear season, clean your barbecue immediately after every use,” states the ministry website.
“Wash the grill or burn off the smells, food residue and grease. If you can smell your barbecue then it is not clean enough. Store your barbecue in a safe place behind closed doors.”
Ripe fruit should be cleaned up.
For more information about bear-proofing your property, go to www.env.gov.bc.ca/cos/info/bearaware/prevent_problems.html.
