Urban bears have long been a part of life in Prince George.
Now, a research team from the College of New Caledonia (CNC) is trying to better understand what separates these urban visitors from their wilderness counterparts — by studying their poop.
Laura Graham, a biologist and member of the CNC Research Forest team, is asking locals to help collect samples of bear feces to get the “scoop” on what makes urban bears tick.
Graham previously developed this hormone-testing method during her work in zoology, using it to determine pregnancy in large predators such as lions and tigers without invasive blood tests.
The project is being conducted in partnership with the Northern Bear Awareness Society and has support from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service.
In an interview with The Citizen, Graham explained what she and her team hope to achieve.
“We really wanted to look at the hormone indicators, measured non-invasively in the feces of the bears,” said Graham. “And compare the bears in the urban area or within city limits to the bears in the research forest and see if we could find some clues as to what’s driving some of these bears into the city limits and potentially into conflict with humans.
“If we can generate some information about that, maybe we can find more ways to reduce the amount of conflict between humans and bears in the city limits.”
Graham and her team are currently studying and comparing hormone levels related to stress, metabolism and overall condition of urban bears as they emerge from hibernation.
Prince George recorded the highest number of black bear deaths in BC in 2023, with 76 bears killed. Graham said she’s found that locals want to change this dynamic.
“I was very impressed with just how much people in Prince George care about their bears,” she said. “They value the wildlife — the bears and the moose — and I’m very pleased that they recognize just how gorgeous the area is around Prince George and how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful area.
“It was very evident that the people of Prince George really do love their bears and they do not want to see them destroyed because of human-bear conflict.”
There are several ways locals can support the CNC Research Forest team if they come across bear feces in the area.
- Send a photo: If you encounter droppings that are relatively fresh and not rained on, you can text a photo and location to 778-349-4813. A member of the research team will collect the sample.
- Drop it off: If you're willing to go a step further, collect the sample the same way you might pick up after a dog. Deliver it to the designated fridge beside the geodome greenhouse near the ATCO trailer on the CNC campus. Label the sample with the date and general location using a permanent marker. A photograph of the sample is also helpful. It only needs to be about the size of a golf ball.
- Bonus help: If you also manage to photograph the bear that left the sample, send that image to the number above along with the feces photo.
Graham said she hopes this research will support Prince George’s progress toward becoming a Bear Smart Community. She offered a few reminders for reducing wildlife encounters.
“Take down your bird feeders before the bears come out of hibernation. Obviously, don’t put your garbage out until the morning it’s being picked up, and remove the attractants,” she said. “I know people with apple trees — if they’re not going to pick their apples, there are volunteer groups that will come out and take the apples for them to decrease the attractants for bears coming into the city.
“The reality is, if you’re surrounded by forest, then yeah, there’s going to be bears there — and we need to live with them peacefully whenever possible.”
