FED means DEAD
Managing bear attractants around your home
Last year at this time, two momma bears lost their lives, leaving five cubs orphaned. A vehicle killed the first female bear on Highway 22 near the Bragg Creek turn-off. The second female bear was euthanized for having become habituated to human food sources in our hamlet.
Much was said and done to raise awareness about this and figure out ways to assist the cubs. Ultimately, these babies were left to fend for themselves and the community monitored their whereabouts the best it could. While some hoped they would return to their dens where they were born, it is hard to say if they did. Many claim to have seen them around months later. The community took the fate of these small bears to heart and hoped for the best. This desire to help is a testament to the connection our community has to the natural environment. So what is being done to avoid a repeat of this devastating story?
Limiting access to food attractants and garbage is a logical first step. Some Bragg Creek Wild volunteers are working on a bylaw proposal to be presented to Rocky View County in the near future. Under the County’s guidance, we hope to share this proposal with the community and develop solutions that work – for us and our wildlife. Meanwhile, it is imperative to apply good practices commonly used in other bear country communities:
- Keep household garbage in air-tight bags or containers secured inside locked garages or sheds. DO NOT leave trash out overnight under any circumstances.
- Dispose of your kitchen scraps at our local transfer site. Please do not compost in your yard.
- Remove bird (and deer) feed and unwanted small fruits from your yard. Birds have plenty of food between Spring and late Fall. If you must, use bird feeders in the winter months only.
- Feed your pets indoors. Pet food will attract bears.
- Ensure you do not leave anything with an odour outside, near open windows or in your vehicle, even if you’re home. That includes scented candles, air fresheners, lip balms and lotions. Stories abound of bears sneaking into houses and cars in search of food.
- Keep your BBQ clean of grease. Bring in dirty dishes after you are done.
www.bearsmart.com/live/managing-attractants/ Is an excellent website providing detailed information on the dos and don’ts. We encourage you to visit it and become familiar with their best practices.
We had numerous bear sightings in the Bragg Creek area this Spring and Summer. They included individuals of all sizes and colouring (from cinnamon to black). They are definitely out there and are now becoming hungry – their instinct is to fatten up in preparation for winter. With their keen sense of smell, they know where food sources may lie. The onus is on all of us to encourage them to stay in the wild areas and not become habituated to our garbage, bird feed, yard berries and small fruits.
Applying these best practices will go a long way to avoiding another round of tragedies we experienced last year.
Thank you for being Bear Smart.
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Bragg Creek Wild – www.braggcreekwild.ca braggcreekwild@gmail.com – 403-200-9961 People and wildlife living in community
