Sadie Parr
Golden Bear Aware Community Co-ordinator
Bears have been sighted travelling along rivers and riparian areas beside the waterways. This is likely due to bears moving through these sections in search of natural foods such as dogwood and berries that live in these lush places. This time of year bear activity often increases in specific areas around the Town of Golden, such as the airport trails and the Rotary Trails in the southeast section of Golden.
BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.
The best encounter is one prevented. This can be done by being aware of your surroundings; knowing how to reduce the likelihood of encounters, and being prepared to react properly if an encounter should take place. Pay attention to signs of bear activity such as scats, tracks and digging. Make noise when on trails, keep dogs leashed, carry bear spray where appropriate and know how to use it.
To remain “unattractive to bears” at home, ensure that fruit is harvested as soon as it is ripened. If you have too much fruit, the Golden Foodbank would be happy to accept it, and Boo at the Grizzly Refuge will gladly receive any windfall fruit. For those who just want to find a willing picker to glean their tree, the Sustainable Golden Facebook page has become a great resource to find help and share.
Golden Bear Aware is gathering 20,000 calorie food baskets for the Golden Food Bank. Donations of non-perishable food will save $2 off an “Early HiBEARnation” ticket. This event will feature large carnivore ecologist Michael Sawaya, who has been researching bears, wolves and cougars in the Rocky Mountains for 15 years. Bear Aware is proud to host Dr. Sawaya at the Civic Centre Thursday, September 27, to present about his research, population trends, and land connectivity. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Golden Town Hall. Contact Sadie Parr within Golden if you have any questions. She can be reached at 250-290-1222 or golden@bearaware.bc.ca.
To learn more about managing wildlife attractants visit the Bear Aware website www.bearaware.bc.ca.
Bear Aware gratefully acknowledges the financial support of Columbia Basin Trust, a regional corporation created to deliver social, economic, and environmental benefits for residents of the Columbia Basin. Bear Aware would also like to thank its sponsors: the B.C. Conservation Foundation, the B.C. Ministry of Environment, and the Town of Golden.
To report a bear sighting or wildlife incident, call the RAPP line at 1-877-952-7277.
