City of Prince George bylaw officers and members of the BC Conservation Officer Service are conducting a door-to-door bear awareness campaign this week.
Throughout October, bylaw and conservation officers will be visiting homes in the city to educate residents about how to keep their yards free of food sources that attract wildlife – especially bears.
"This year is shaping up to be one of the worst years ever for bear/human interactions in Prince George," a statement issued by the City of Prince George on Friday said. "Since April 1, about the time bears begin leaving their den in the spring, the (BC Conservation Officer Service) has received more than 1,300 reports of problematic bears in the community – more than 500 in the month of September alone. In comparison, the COS received about 900 such calls in all of 2019."
The bear patrol teams will be targeting neighbourhoods the day before their scheduled garbage collection. Garbage cans are a major attractant for bears, as a bear can often get as much food from a single residential garbage can as from a full day of foraging in the wild, the statement issued by the city said.
"The consequences of providing bears with easy access to unnatural food sources are obvious: more bears, and more bears needing to be put down," the city statement said. "Food that is more available means bears are more tolerant of other bears and of humans - which is bad for bears and bad for people."
Under city bylaws, residents are not allowed to put their garbage cart out on the curb until 4 a.m. on collection day. Homeowners who put their garbage can out early can face a $300 fine.
Homeowners who keep wildlife attractants like bird feeders and fruit trees in a way that they are accessible to wildlife can be fined $200.
City residents are urged to:
• Store their garbage cart in a garage or shed, if possible. If not possible, secure the lid using rope, a bungee cord or other device.
• Not grow fruit-bearing trees or plants. If you do, regularly remove any ripe fruit and vegetables.
• Clean outdoor barbecues and grease traps regularly.
• Feed pets indoors.
• Remove bird feeders during the spring to autumn months.
• Rinse all recycling material.
Last year the city introduced roughly 300 bear-resistant residential garbage carts in the Hart Highlands Croft neighbourhood as part of a pilot project to reduce bear/human conflicts.
