Image Credit: SUBMITTED/WildSafeBC - J. Courterus
March 12, 2022 - 2:03 PM
WildSafeBC has recorded a significant increase in conflicts between humans and bears in 2021.
An annual report to West Kelowna council, to be presented at the next committee of the whole meeting on March 15, tallied 412 reports of black bears in 2021, compared to fewer than 250 in 2020.
“This year had a considerable increase in the amount of black bear reports at 1.8 times the annual average from 2016 to 2020 of 231 reports,” according to the annual report.
The large increase occurred “likely due to a combination of drought conditions that reduced natural food availability and nearby wildfires that resulted in bears needing to move to adjacent habitats.”
READ MORE: Fall bear encounters arrive three weeks early thanks to Interior drought
In the area surveyed, there were 111 reports of black bears in the month of August when two wildfires were nearby. That was a 358% over the average of 31 reports that came in the same month between 2016 and 2020, according to the report.
Significant increases of reports continued through September, October and November.
“While it is normal to see an increase in black bear reports during the fall as bears are increasing their foraging to prepare for winter denning, the substantial increase this year over the previous five years suggests exceptional circumstances. With the uncertainty in future environmental conditions due to climate change, there may continue to be increases in human-bear conflicts locally,” according to the report.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/WildSafeBC
Some of the blame is placed on climate change which “cannot be controlled,” according to the report, unlike the ability to manage attractants like garbage and fruit trees.
The report also identifies a large increase in deer reports over the past year, and says 88% of calls were for an injured, distressed or dead deer.
The team at WildeSafeB.C. are also reporting their continued efforts to increase public education and awareness about coexisting with nature.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/WildSafeBC
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