Too many bears are discovering the taste of the trash we dump in garbage bins.
With berry crops drying up prematurely in the extended drought in the region this summer, this has been an exceptional year and bear sightings in Prince George neighbourhoods are off the charts.
Part of the reason for that is bears like what they smell and taste in those bins and if people make it easy for them to get what’s inside they will continue to come back for more.
The problem is most people don’t bother to strap down the lids.
Bungee cords or (better) ratchet tie-down straps are cheap and effective. The bear might knock down the bin but if the lid is secure they can’t get what’s inside and that reduces the chances of a close encounter with humans or pets.
On average, 36 bears each year are euthanized in Prince George.
To date, 21 have been killed this year by conservation officers, all in this month. Last year in August there were no euthanized bears.
B.C. Conservation officer Eamon McArthur has been besieged by residents concerned about bear sightings and the four officers in Prince George have had to sift through 1,200 calls received since Aug. 1.
“This has been pretty unprecedented on our front here,” said McArthur. “Not everybody is going to get a call back.”
A city bylaw restricts leaving garbage bins out at street level to only the day of garbage pickup from 4 a.m.-7 p.m. People who violate that order and leave attractants out for bears (in garbage bins or on fruit trees) are subject to fines of up to $300 from the city or $340 from BC Conservation.
“It’s garbage or unmaintained apple trees and basically everybody is turning in their neighbours,” said McArthur. “It seems like nobody wants to talk to their neighbours. They just want to turn them in to the cops and we’re just run off our feet.”
