Despite hibernation, people urged to be bear aware year-round
Posted November 30, 2018 11:10 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s that time of year when the region’s black bears are about to hibernate, but before they do, they’re looking for a last meal.
Black bears typically hibernate between November and April, but despite what you might think, you still need to be bear-aware all 365 days of the year.
That means, among other things, taking some extra precautions to hide your garbage.
“It’s good for us all to be reminded that the bear season is still ongoing, and that we need to store all attractants in a bear-proof manner annually so that bears cannot access these attractants,” Lonnie Schoenthal with the B.C. Conservation Officers Service explains.
Those attractants include your garbage, but also ripe or even rotten fruit and berries from nearby trees and bushes.
“This time of year they’re more active in trying to find food sources to fatten up for the long winter months of denning. There will be the potential for more sighting this time of year, absolutely, as they are preparing for hibernation.”
And contrary to what some might believes, bears aren’t set on the November to April hibernation time frame.
Schoenthal says some may den sooner and some later.
“Some bears may not den at all if there’s an abundant food source and the weather’s warm enough.”
