Bears starting to wake up across B.C.

With spring officially underway, many bears across B.C. are waking up from hibernation and looking for sources of food.

According to Holly Reisner, the co-executive director of the North Shore Black Bear Society, many bears will be looking for grass to eat due to a lack of berries.
She says grass has lots of calcium and helps digestion, so people often see bruins on the side of highways.

“So it’s a good reminder for us all to be careful driving, especially on the North Shore,” Reisner said. “We have bears hit by cars every year, so it’s a good opportunity to think about that and slow down, watch out for wildlife.”

Reisner says it’s not unusual to see bears around Metro Vancouver. However, in order to avoid run-ins, she encourages people to use their voice.

“So what we like to tell you is, the best bear encounter you have is the one that you avoid … We really encourage you anytime you’re out walking in the trails or even on the street, is to use your voice. Bears recognize us as humans by the sound of our voice,” she explained, noting bears really don’t want to have encounters with humans.

She adds it’s a well-known myth that mother black bears are more aggressive, saying sows tend to send their cubs up a tree if there is danger.

Dog owners, meanwhile, are being reminded to keep them on a leash to help avoid encounters with bears while on walks.

“Dogs and bears are not a great combination,” said Reisner. “Dogs barking at a bear can be seen as a harassment to that bear, by the bear, and sometimes a barking or lunging dog can pressure a bear to take a defensive swipe.”

Meanwhile, she is reminding people across the region to do what they can to ensure they aren’t attracting bears to their homes.

That means thinking about the things around your house that may draw wild animals, such as garbage, organics, and bird feed.

“Wash your containers out with hot, soapy water before you put it in the blue bin. Keep anything odourous, like meat, fish, chicken scraps, or grease in the freezer.”