Black bear cubs received by the Greater Vancouver Zoo are getting used to their new surroundings.

Black bear cubs received by the Greater Vancouver Zoo are getting used to their new surroundings.

Letter: It’s time to freeze out the bears

Black bears are now foraging before they hibernate.

Black bears are now foraging before they hibernate.

A majority of bear/human conflicts happen because bears get into garbage containers that have been put out too soon and the smell of rotting human food is irresistible to a hungry bear.

This tip won’t provide 100 per cent exclusion from a bear visiting a garbage container, but it might help.

All of our table scraps go into the freezer after every meal and do not get tosssed in our curbside garbage container until the morning of pickup.

It has helped keep the smell of human food to a minimum and our garbage container is clean inside.

The leftovers are frozen and produce less of an attractant for bears looking for an easy meal from a garbage container.

John Noakes

Salmon Arm Observer