Clean up before bears arrive
Joey Dimora was amazed by what he saw on his neighbour’s roof in Juniper last weekend.
It was too early to be Santa Claus, but it managed to break a few Christmas lights while it was up there.
It was a small goldilocks-coloured bear that had earlier — before the climb up — gotten into some garbage.
No one was home at the time.
Trash is the classic bear attractant, said Steve Wasylik of the conservation office in Kamloops.
He said the lesson people need to learn from an incident like this is to secure their garbage.
“People who live in Juniper live right on the edge of the forest,” Wasylik said.
“They’re basically surrounded by green space and you’re going to get bears and other types of wildlife in Juniper.
“If you don’t manage your attractants — in this case, garbage — you’re going to attract a bear. It’s just a matter of time.”
He said bears will pass through areas like Juniper to look for food but, if neighbourhood residents clean up and secure their garbage, bruins won’t be stop.
Wasylik said in the event a bear wanders into your neighbourhood, the best thing is to let it go about its business and pass through.
If the bear lingers or act aggressively, posing a threat to public safety, conservation officers will attend the scene or request the RCMP’s presence if they cannot.
For more information, advice or to report a bear, call 1-877-952-7277 to speak with a conservation officer.
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