Expect to see more bear activity in B.C. this fall, advocacy group says

An advocacy group on the North Shore is advising the public to be on the lookout for increased bear activity over the next couple of months.

Holly Reisner, the co-executive director of the North Shore Black Bear Society, tells CityNews the animals are packing on the pounds ahead of winter denning season.

“This is a time when bears are in the phase called hyperphagia when they are really interested in eating as many calories as they can possibly eat before winter comes because they have to get ready for denning,” she said.

“They’re out and about more than they normally are. They’re roaming further to find food, so it’s not uncommon that we would have more sightings.”

There has been a string of bear-related stories that have cropped up in B.C. in recent weeks.

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• Grizzly sow, two older cubs trapped and relocated after moving into Nelson, B.C.

• ‘Negative interactions’ with bears and humans on the rise: BCCOS

On Tuesday morning, a bruin was hit on Highway 1 in Abbotsford. Elsewhere in the province, a grizzly bear and her two cubs were recently relocated after frequenting areas around Nelson.

Reisner says despite increased bear activity, the animals won’t likely threaten humans.

“Normally, our bears are peaceful and mostly disinterested in us as humans. But there are a couple of situations where they could be pressured into having a defensive reaction,” she said.

“Black bears will defend a food source if they have one and if someone approaches them very closely or if there’s a dog harassing them by barking.”

To keep the peace between bears and humans, Reisner recommends minimizing odorous garbage or organic waste outside your home and keeping dogs leashed in areas the animals may reside.