Bear calls increase in Okanagan

Jun 17, 2019 | 5:45 AM

The Okanagan is following a provincial trend of more human-bear conflicts.

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service reported a 16 per cent increase in black bear calls, with 518 so far this year, compared to 444 in 2018.

Fifteen bears have been destroyed in the valley so far in 2019, three less than this time last year.

Officials said the drier spring may be leaving bears with less natural food sources in their regular habitat.

“It’s possible the cold, dry spring has led to poor availability of new growth for bears to eat as they emerge from the den,” Chris Doyle, deputy chief of the service, said.

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Doyle said the higher number of bear encounters makes it even more important for people to manage non-natural food sources such as garbage, fruit trees, bird feeders and barbecues.

“We need to manage those so they can’t be accessed by bears,” he said.

Provincially, Doyle said there was 3,826 calls for black bears in April and May, and 182 for grizzly bears.

“The average over the previous eight years has been 2,400 black bear calls and 82 grizzly bear calls, so definitely an increase there,” Doyle said.

The service received 11 calls about grizzly bears in the Okanagan this year, up from the five last year, with no grizzly bears destroyed.

by Pete McIntyre

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