It’s early in the season and the North Shore has already seen its first bear killed – a mother of two.
It happened in our neck of the woods, which isn’t to say we’re the worst offenders when it comes to managing wildlife attractants, but we have to do better – for the sake of the bears.
As enchanted as you are to watch a hummingbird flitting by your window, that food you set out can bring around bigger guests. Consider hanging flower baskets that attract hummingbirds, but not bears.
A note for those of us in the district enjoying our new locking garbage bins: They are bear resistant, not bear proof. This is not a licence to get sloppy on garbage day.
Conservation officers have a tough job. Ninety per cent of it is trying to educate people on how to avoid these types of encounters in the first place.
And when the CO must pull the trigger, they tend to be vilified, even though it’s only used as a last resort when public safety is at stake and it’s too late for the bear to unlearn its habits.
If we profess to care about bears, we have to demonstrate it with action, starting with our own backyards.
A lot of effort is being expended by groups such as the North Shore Black Bear Society to educate people but it takes just one sloppy resident to ruin it for a bear.
Fortunately, in this case, the sow’s cubs were spared from death. But for how long? That’s up to us to change our habits. ■
