Police are warning residents after a wandering black bear reportedly spotted on a trail near the Victoria General Hospital and Eagle Creek Village.
Saanich Police Department issued a press release stating that a black bear had been spotted in the 1600-block of Little Road on a trail that runs through a forested area beside Eagle Creek Village at around 2:40 p.m. Sunday.
“The bear did not do anything aggressive,” said Saanich PD Const. Joe Lerhe in a press release, adding that the bear was not located by police.
The Conservation Officer Service has been notified of the sighting and Saanich Police are urging members of the public to be alert when in the Eagle Creek Park area.
“We are asking members of the public attending the area to be aware of the recent bear sighting,” said Lerhe.
The trail the bear was seen on connects from Little Road to Watkiss Way and is less than 500 metres away from Victoria General Hospital. Other black bear sightings have been reported in Colwood, Langford and Sooke in recent days.
Black bears are the smallest of three bears found in North America, according to the British Columbia Conservation Foundation, and are considered to be extremely agile hunters with an “insatiable” appetite.
Bear sightings are common around this time of the year because they are emerging from seasonal hibernation and are hungry and in search of food.
As a result, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service recommends people ensure attractants such as garbage are properly secured to avoid bear conflicts, noting that they have already received a number of sighting reports.
“[Conservation officers] are getting reports of bears out and about in several locations across B.C., and already in some cases, complaints,” the Conservation Officer Service said in a recent post on Facebook.
“Please take this time to assess your property and ensure attractants are properly secured to avoid bear conflicts. Garbage, pet food, bird seed, fruit and more can attract bears to residential areas, which can soon turn into a public safety concern.”
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