A black bear is seen in this undated WildSafeBC photo.
(HOWARD ALEXANDER - NEWS EDITOR / iNFOnews.ca)
September 16, 2021 - 11:27 AM
Thompson Rivers University has issued a warning this morning about a bear being spotted on its Kamloops campus.
“This is just a reminder to be on the lookout for wildlife, always maintain a safe distance, and never approach or attempt to feed the animals,” according to a message sent by the TRU SAFE app.
The app sends alerts to notify the campus community about potential dangers or situations on or near campus, according to the university’s website.
Yesterday, the City of Kamloops closed Pioneer Park and the Rivers Trail between Pioneer Park and Riverside Park due to bears in the area. Today, Sept. 16, the park remains closed.
A spike of bear sightings has been reported this month across the Thompson-Okanagan compared to previous years.
Compared to the same period in 2020 between Sept. 2 and 11, there were only 13 sightings among the four cities. In 2019 there were 31 during the same week of the year, and in 2018 there were 13, according to WildSafeBC.
Kelowna Conservation Officer Ken Owens said last month in a press release with wildfires in the region, bears have been displaced meaning more might be seen in Central Okanagan communities. The bears are in search of food sources, he said.
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