bearsmart's blog

A bear is a bear no matter where found, right? Not so. As human development continues to expand into wild areas and non-natural food sources stay readily available “urban wildlife” becomes a bigger and bigger issue that is taking center stage in many communities.

While to many, the black bear that has been raiding the local fruit trees & garbage cans looks no different than its counterpart foraging on berries in the backwoods; you may be surprised to know that “city bears” become quite a different animal altogether.

BEAR SUMMARY FOR THE ALBERNI VALLEY
The following summary is based upon a compilation of bear information provided by
government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last
several weeks. It is not intended to be used as a real time, complete record of where bears are in
the valley.

BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Be aware of your surroundings, know how to reduce the likelihood of encounters, and be
prepared should an encounter take place. Always use caution by paying attention to

The 2011 Alberni Valley Bear Smart Calendar is now available for $15 at Clock Tower Gallery, Rollin Arts Centre, SharKare, Lakeside Store (Sproat Lake) and can be requested via avbearsmart@hotmail.com

The calendars feature 12 beautiful photos of black bears taken by local photographers and make a wonderful gift or souvenir.

Proceeds from sales of the calendars will go directly to AVBS to support ongoing efforts to reduce human-bear conflict in Alberni Valley.

As always, we greatly appreciate your support!

Follow us on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/pages/manage/#!/pages/Bear-Smart-BC-Society/123912514325326

Bear Smart BC Society invites you to follow us on our Facebook fan page! The page is regularly updated with tips on attractant management, general bear knowledge and news articles from around the world pertaining to bears.

We'd love to see you there!

Christina Brack
Director of Communications
Bear Smart BC Society

BEAR SUMMARY FOR THE ALBERNI VALLEY
The following summary is based upon a compilation of bear information provided by
government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last
several weeks. It is not intended to be used as a real time, complete record of where bears are in
the valley.

BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Be aware of your surroundings, know how to reduce the likelihood of encounters, and be
prepared should an encounter take place. Always use caution by paying attention to

Do you have fruit trees or berry bushes on your property? If so, you will need to be diligent to harvest ripe and fallen fruit daily to prevent bears from discovering this easy to access treat. Next to garbage, fruit is the second most common backyard attractant for bears and other wildlife.

Why not enjoy your fruit or share it with your neighbours? The following tips may help you harvest fruit and berries at the right time to avoid waste and unwanted backyard visitors!

• Rhubarb – the stems will be long and a deep pink.

Your Actions DO Make A Difference!!
Report all wildlife-human interactions where public safety may be at risk. Call the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277).
Reporting to the COS will help us better manage and prevent bear-human conflict in the Alberni Valley.

For “Bear Smart” information, questions, concerns or to volunteer:
Call Dawn Boyce 250-723-2187 or Christina Brack 250-723-9200
avbearsmart@hotmail.com

For information on the Ministry of Environment Bear Smart Community Program or the Bear Smart BC Society please call: Crystal McMillan at 250-650-9653

In light of recent events involving two campers in the Taylor Flats (Sproat Lake) area being attacked by a black bear, Bear Smart BC Society and Alberni Valley Bear Smart would like to provide the following information for anyone planning on camping or exploring the backwoods.

These tips and advice are meant to offer preventative measures to avoid conflict with wildlife while enjoying the outdoors. Bears and wild animals in general are unpredictable and should always be treated with respect and plenty of space.

Campgrounds:

Every year Workers Compensation Board of BC handles a fair share of disability and fatality claims; a number of which include conflict with bears and other wild animals. The majority of these related claims result when a worker tries to flee from a wild animal or avoid physical contact with it.

BEAR SUMMARY FOR THE ALBERNI VALLEY
The following summary is based upon a compilation of bear information provided by
government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last
several weeks. It is not intended to be used as a real time, complete record of where bears are in
the valley.

BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Be aware of your surroundings, know how to reduce the likelihood of encounters, and be
prepared should an encounter take place. Always use caution by paying attention to