Students Survey on Bear Concerns Coming to Your Neighbourhood
Thursday, July 11, 2013 @ 11:15 AM
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Prince George, B.C. – Northern Bear Awareness in Prince George is standing behind a research project being undertaken by some students at UNBC. Starting next week, students will be going door to door, asking residents questions about bears.“The survey is part of the students curriculum, but we hope to gain some information that will help us identify the areas of public concern about bears that need to be addressed” says Northern Bear Awareness President Dave Bakker. Once they have details of the areas of concern, education programs can be developed to address those concerns.
( at right, black bear crosses North Nechako road – photo 250News archive)
Prince George remains prime bear habitat, with about 35 known “resident” bears. Having said that, Bakker says 88 bears were destroyed in Prince George in 2010, and that means there is a large transient bear population that takes advantage of the garbage and non harvested fruit in this community.
“Just yesterday, the Conservation officers had to destroy a large male bear at UNBC” says Bakker, “ He was getting into the garbage there, and was acting aggressively to humans.”
Over the past two weeks alone, there have been 19 reported sightings of bears, and 4 of the bears, ( including the one at UNBC) have been destroyed.
Bears have been demonized over the years says Bakker, who adds the stats show that in the past 113 years, there have been 63 human deaths as a result of a bear attack, and most of those bears were in what is considered an “adolescent” stage.
Prince George has yet to achieve bear awareness certification, as there are still a couple of hurdles to clear. First, there would need to be bylaw and enforcement for failing to remove , or harvest, fruit or bear attractants at the end of the growing season. Secondly there needs to be bear proof garbage bins, but that is a very costly venture. Until the containers can be provided, Northern Bear Awareness is hoping people will keep their garbage inside a garage or storage shed and obey the rules about when the cans should be placed on the street for pick up.
For now, the first step is to take part in the UNBC survey. Bakker says the students will have proper identification and the survey will help create bear awareness, increase public safety and assist students with the completion of their studies.
Comments
Having bears roaming through the City is not (in my opinion) a good idea.
The City of Prince George is a huge area, with many square miles of forest and country road. This is natural bear habitat, and always has been.
Much like the University site was a natural site for bear, deer, moose, etc; however that didn’t stop the Government, and developers from moving into that area.
We probably need a comprehensive relocating of these bears. Taking all sorts of measures to keep them outside the City such as hiding our garbage in the garage, or the basement, or picking our fruit as soon as possible, just means that we are being driven by the Bear population. Whats that all about.
Bears don’t kill people, people do it to themselves ! Clean up your garbage and leave the bears alone !
Boon. Get your butt out of bear and moose territory and you wont have a problem.
Many Cities in BC are over run by Deer, Rabbits, Elk, Geese, Cougers, etc; These animals/birds don’t eat garbage, however they are becoming a big problem in some area’s.
The problem is much bigger than bears eating garbage.
there have been 63 human deaths as a result of a bear attack, and most of those bears were in what is considered an âadolescentâ stage.
Does this make them less dead?
I know of 1 bears in my area that were shot, wounded and not found by CO’s.
This is not safe.
there would need to be bylaw and enforcement for failing to remove , or harvest, fruit or bear attractants at the end of the growing season
When does the growing season end?
The bears are not the problem! In spite of public education campaigns and municipal bylaws, people still don’t store their garbage properly. In my neighbourhood, some idiots consistently put their garbage out at the curb the afternoon BEFORE their scheduled garbage pickup day. There have been public education campaigns year after year after year! In spite of the warnings, some people store their garbage wherever and however they want, they put it out to the curb well before the proper time and they just don’t give a sh– about anyone or anything else except themselves. It’s time that the City started to crack down on people who ignore the rules.
Maybe it’s time for the City to get our Bylaw Enforcement Officers out of Tim Horton’s and out driving around writing tickets, not warnings!
Improperly store your garbage? Congratulations, here’s your fine!
Watering your lawn outside of your scheduled times or days? Congratulations, here’s your fine?
I’m sure that the City could collect enough in fines that they wouldn’t need to raise taxes for the rest of us! And we might save a few bears as well!
Door to door campaigns are more of a problem to me than bears.
“Much like the University site was a natural site for bear, deer, moose, etc; however that didn’t stop the Government, and developers from moving into that area.”
uh Palopu all of BC is like that if you haven’t noticed. The pathways around College hts. are a bear freeway after dark.
My personal experience moose are more dangerous.
one of my favourite quotes talking about BC Parks:
“the reason we cannot have truly bearproof garbage cans is because there is a significant overlap between the smartest bears and the dumbest tourists”
To carry this Logic a bit further “Before Man arrived in North America ” it was all Wild Animals!
if you have a Bear problem , go out buy some
Cement Blocks, stack and Mortar them together in your Backyard , put a real have Wooden Door on it (2×6 or better) heavy Hinges too and park your Can inside, stores Beer safely too, now watch your Bear going for the Beer! Don’t store Garbage in your Basement, the Bear may break down that flimsy Door.
Perhaps we should have Bear resistant waste bins on the corner of every couple of City blocks. We could discontinue the garbage pick up and save millions of dollars in cash, plus reduce the pollution. Citizens would be responsible for getting their garbage from their home to the bin.
Pick up could be once a week as it is now, however it could be done by Waste Management, or some such company.
Under this scenario, everyone wins.
Whats the chances.
Perhaps we should have Bear resistant waste bins on the corner of every couple of City blocks. We could discontinue the garbage pick up and save millions of dollars in cash, plus reduce the pollution. Citizens would be responsible for getting their garbage from their home to the bin.
Pick up could be once a week as it is now, however it could be done by Waste Management, or some such company.
Under this scenario, everyone wins.
Whats the chances.
When you buy a composting unit don’t follow the instructions which tell you to include kitchen waste into your garden waste!
Bears can smell the yummy rotten kitchen waste from several kilometers away! Next thing you know you have a 400 pound bruin loitering in your back yard!
We have a bear that makes his (her?) rounds every day around 4pm. You have to keep a real good eye out and be ready to hoof it indoors when it steps out from behind the house on its way through the yard. I have given upon the city garbage containers – I am not building a shed just to put the can in – that are totally useless for keeping even the neighbourhood pup never mind a few hundred pound blackie. Tried the bungie cord idea but it just threw it across the yard a few times until something finally fell out.
Had one walk on to the porch to get out of the rain, sat there for an hour. We have a 3 and 5 year old and have to have a bear watch whenever they are outside in the yard. Luckily since the large one that hung around the area 5 or more years ago (that we had to pepper spray when it charged the front door) – the new ones tend to stroll around 20 or 30 feet from the house and just turn and walk away when you yell at them. Todays bear has a shade of brown through the black fur, almost like it was streaked by a hairdresser…
And yes I am in the city limits
Hahaha, good quote Interceptor. I’m in agreement Seamutt, a full grown cow or bull moose is alot more tempermental than most bears. Kind of curious, 63 deaths in 113 years; How many of these were predatory or bears reacting insinctively (surprised or with cubs)? What is the ratio of attacks vs. close up encounters? 63 deaths in that span of time is about 1 death every 1.8 years, not to downplay or minimize the impact of those unfortunates who were killed, a person has a far greater probability of being killed by lightning & way way more of a chance of being killed by their fellow human.
Should we be more bear aware? Of course. Should we be concerned for our safety? Yep, but throw in a little common sense, if the bears really wanted us as a food source there would be alot fewer hunters, hikers, skiers, runners…..
I see that a man in Mission BC was chased and mauled by a black bear last nite. Came close to being another statistic.
There is much more to the bear game than garbage. We are basically taking up their territory with urban expansion, farming, logging, etc; and in addition the Grizzly Bears seem to be moving into traditional Black Bear territory.
Sooooo. What’s the solution.
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