Conservation officers to conduct bear attractant patrols

As bear activity ramps up in the province, the Conservation Officer Service said it will conduct bear attractant patrols in communities across BC.

The service didn’t name the communities it intends to target as part of this campaign.

Conservation Officers are targeting areas with a history of bear conflicts, and communities where unsecured attractants, such as garbage, pet food, birdseed and compost have led to problems with bears in the past.

Squamish ranks fourth among the top five communities in BC for bear activity in 2019, and ten bears were destroyed last year.

Conservation officers will patrol neighbourhoods to see if attractants are secured with bear-proof bins, excess fruit from trees has been picked, and livestock is fenced.

Since last fall, service completed more than 700 inspections, issued more than 75 charges, 300 warnings and 350 Dangerous Wildlife Protection Orders.

The protection order directs a property owner to remove an attractant or face a $575 fine.

“It is critical for everyone to do their part to help keep wildlife wild, so bears don’t gain appetites for non-natural food or lose their fear of humans – putting both bears and communities at risk,” the service said.

To report bears or any other wildlife, call the the 24/7 RAPP line at 1.877.952.7277 or https://forms.gov.bc.ca/environment/rapp.

To report a Wildlife Attractant Bylaw concern, contact 604.815.5067 or bylaw@squamish.ca.