WildSafeBC – Be Aware

“BC is Bear Country” is an accurate slogan. In Canada, one quarter (25%) of all the black bears, Ursus Americanus, call BC home. Bears have long chosen to reside in the Okanagan, just like us.

Unfortunately, hundreds of bears (between 400 and 800) are destroyed each year in BC. This is often due to bears coming into conflicts with humans. The majority of these conflicts could have been avoided with forethought and preparedness.

Attractants like accessible garbage, bird feeders and tree fruits can lure bears away from natural food sources, increasing the potential risk for human-bear conflicts to arise. If bears access un-natural food sources, they can quickly become habituated, usually ending in the bear being destroyed. Awareness and prevention can help keep wildlife wild and communities safe. The following links to information and resources can help property and business owners, producers and agricultural operations as well as visitors to reduce the risk of a negative encounter with wildlife.

Anyone with a wildlife concern is urged to call the RAPP Line at 1-877-952-7277