Two bears have been shot in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows in recent weeks, and a trap has been set for another.
Conservation Officer Sgt. Todd Hunter said the number of human-bear conflicts is alarming. He is asking the public and businesses to do more to keep bears from being attracted to their properties – securing garbage, pet food, compost and any other potential attractants. Even bird feeders should come
“We’re experiencing some heightened bear calls in the Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge area,” he said. “Anything food related should be locked up, and kept inaccessible.”
He said there have been calls about bears either entering homes, or trying to get into buildings where there is food. One such black bear in the area of the UBC research forest was “removed indefinitely” for such behaviour recently, and another in Pitt Meadows.
“They’re on the search for food – there’s not a lot of food sources out there for them,” said Hunter.
The Facebook page for the Maple Ridge Black Bear Society noted that young bears, just a year old, are being dispersed by their mothers for the first time.
A posting said one named “Sunny” had entered a home through a window to get food on a counter top.
“He has started to associate houses with food, because of the reward he has received from the community,” said the posting, and noted there is now a trap set for him.
Hunter also warned that feeding dangerous wildlife is a serious offence, that can lead to hefty fines.
“If we find that, we will prosecute it,” he warned.
A key in Maple Ridge, says Hunter, is ensuring people don’t put out their garbage cans for morning collection the night before. If they are out prior to 5 a.m. on collection day, the homeowner could face a $500 fine under city bylaws.
People with bees or chickens should consider an electric fence, he said.
City hall offers information on managing attractants at mapleridge.ca
As members of the public head into the Golden Ears Provincial Park this long weekend, Hunter warns that they need to carefully manage their attractants. It’s also critical that they carry out any garbage.
“We need help and support,” said Hunter. “Lock it down.”
The Maple Ridge Black Bear Society page is a private group with 1,600 members, with a focus on education and appreciating bears.
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