Prince George, B.C. – Prince George residents are being reminded to be bear aware as we head into fall.

Northern Bear Awareness Society president Dave Bakker says his greatest concern is with the return of school this past week.

“Neighbourhoods with little parkways used by kids to go to and from school have been discovered by bears as little quiet zones, places they feel safe and leisurely to do what they want. It can lead to chance encounters.”

With that in mind he’s reminding people to be “noisy walkers – walk with a buddy, talk, whistle, do what you can so a bear will potentially leave before you even know they’re there.”

Bakker says most of these pathways are in the lower College Heights area where there’s a lot of little green space areas between the residential areas.

Numbers from the Conservation Service back up Bakker’s concern as there have been an estimated 1,000 calls for service that have led to around 40 bears being put down so far this year.

He says the high number of recent sightings is due to pre-hibernation habits where bears are trying to build up as much body fat as they can before they hibernate.

Bakker says that combined with this year’s poor berry crop has him worried.

“What’s concerning is with the high number of sightings you’re rolling the dice that a chance encounter will occur and then what? People are of course of primary concern if something happens but then it will be all out war on bears.”