Conservation officers on Vancouver Island say they’ve seen a dramatic increase in bear calls to the Tofino-Ucluelet area this year.
“The Tofino-Ucluelet area has seen an increase to 250 calls so far this year versus 60-something last year so it’s a huge increase,” said Stuart Bates, an officer with the BC Conservation Officer Service.
This year already, officers have had to euthanize 10 black bears in the area — compared to just three bears all last year — and they’re blaming improperly stored garbage for most of the issues.
“Part of that problem is always the same, unsecured garbage gets them into the area, fruit trees, and other food sources as well, and then they start breaking into sheds and garages to get that garbage, and then they start going into houses,” added Bates.
One big difference this year was the extreme heat in June and July. While it drove many people to beaches to cool off and it sent bears closer to the coast as well where berries survived longer in the heat and drought.
But the bears also went into Tofino as well as Ucluelet and found garbage as well.
“They can go from an animal that’s fairly weary of people, being fairly cautious grazing on berries in and around the community to an animal that gradually loses its fear of people and uses that incredible sense of smell they have to search out and find those garbage sources and that’s what we’ve been seeing,” said Bob Hansen, WildsafeBC coordinator for the Pacific Rim Region.
“The bears are giving us an accurate report card on where we are failing to properly secure garbage,” he added.
The biggest issue conservation officers continue to see, says Bates, is people putting their garbage out the night before on the street.
“It’s easy to access and low risk. The bear’s going to get into it and once he gets hooked on the garbage, how do you convince him not to do it again,” he said.
Bates says conservation officers will be in Tofino and Ucluelet in October handing out $230 tickets to those who don’t properly secure their garbage.
“Everybody knows there are bears everywhere and we’re still having to put down bears despite providing as much advice as possible,” said Bates.
Dean Stoltz
