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WildSafeBC program returns to Castlegar for another season

The WildSafeBC Program is off to a strong start in Castlegar, just in time for bear season.
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Alyssa Christianson, WildSafeBC Castlegar Ambassador. (Jennifer Cliff-Marks)

The WildSafeBC Program is off to a strong start in Castlegar, just in time for bear season.

The new WildSafeBC Ambassador, Alyssa Christianson, has already been engaging with the community by attending local events and presenting to students of all ages. She will have a booth set up at Kootenay Festival on July 22; be sure to stop by to discuss preventing human-wildlife conflict.

Human-bear conflict is already on the rise in Castlegar, and bears have been travelling down the mountains into town since spring.

The number of bears in search of food will only increase as summer goes on. However, this does not mean that bear conflict has to increase.

It is critical that we manage our attractants now, before peak bear season arrives in September.

“If we ensure that bears have no access to food sources in town now, it will greatly reduce the number of food conditioned bears come September when they are looking for food to bulk up for hibernation,” states Christianson. “Proactively managing attractants is the only way to prevent further conflict later on in the season.”

Christianson will be canvassing neighbourhoods in which bears have been sighted to talk about attractant management, and will also be providing wildlife safety information at local parks and hiking trails throughout the summer.

Properly managing attractants is a key component of our strategy to see that bears do not become food conditioned or aggressive. This includes: securely storing garbage inside a building until collection day, eliminating wildlife access to birdfeeders, correctly composting, and picking fruit from trees immediately. Consider using electric fencing around gardens, trees, and livestock to deter wildlife.

WildSafeBC will be conducting nightly garbage audits to ensure that garbage is not being placed on the curb until the morning of collection. Placing garbage where it is accessible to wildlife (e.g. on the curb) before 7 a.m. on the day of collection is in violation of the City of Castlegar’s Wildlife Attractant Bylaw. The bylaw, which also addresses the proper management of other wildlife attractants (such as fruit trees, bird feeders, and freezers), can be found on the City of Castlegar’s website.

Responsible attractant management keeps our community safe and helps keep wildlife wild. Keeping garbage stored in a secure building and properly managing bird feeders, compost, and fruit trees will not only keep bears away, but will also prevent conflicts with other wildlife including rats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, and deer.

For more information on local wildlife activity, contact WildSafeBC Ambassador Alyssa Christianson at 1-250-365-8971 or castlegar@wildsafebc.com. You can also find updates on local wildlife activity on Facebook: WildSafeBC Castlegar.

To report a wildlife conflict, call the Conservation Officer hotline at 1-877-952-7277.

WildSafeBC acknowledges the support of Columbia Basin Trust, the BC Ministry of Environment, The City of Castlegar, and the RDCK.