With spring just around the corner, the Ministry of Environment is reminding the public of ways to reduce the chances of human-wildlife encounters.
The most effective and natural way to prevent conflicts in urban areas is to put away garbage, birdseed, compost, pet food and to keep fruit from trees off the ground, the ministry noted in a press release.
Bears emerging from hibernation are looking for food and helping themselves to anything they can find.
“This food-conditioned behaviour increases potential conflicts with people,” the ministry noted. “Whether it’s a dirty barbecue or food scraps in composts, bears only need to locate food once to develop a feeding pattern of returning to an area.”
Other animals, such as young cougars, roam wide in search of unoccupied territory, increasing their chances of wandering into residential communities, parks and campgrounds. Coyote pups are born in the spring and by July are attempting to hunt on their own.
“We haven’t received any calls about black bear sighting yet, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they are out and we start getting some of those calls pretty soon, ” said Sgt. Len Butler of the Conservation Officer Services office in Williams Lake Friday.
“Our area, touch wood, has been relatively quiet for cats, even 100 Mile House which is the busier of the areas.”
The COS did respond to a call in February from the 108 Mile area, where officers attended and dealt with a cougar who had its right front paw missing.
“It jumped out of a dog house and scratched the owner up a bit just trying to get away,” Butler said. “It was a young cat and it wasn’t doing very well. It probably got its paw caught in a trap. It had been like that for quite a while.”
A couple walking near Russett Bluff in the woods Thursday evening reported hearing a cougar roaring, which Butler said is a good reminder to keep dogs close by.
In 2014-15, throughout the province, the Conservation Officer Service received approximately 28,534 calls regarding human-wildlife conflicts.
Of those calls, 17,614 involved human-bear conflicts.
The public should report all human-wildlife conflicts that threaten public safety or result in significant property damage by calling the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line, toll-free at 1 877 952-7277 (RAPP), or visit the RAPP website at: www.rapp.bc.ca
