Elk Valley Bear Aware

The Bear Aware Program will be going into hibernation this week.

bearawarefernie — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:38:15 +0000

Thank you to our volunteers, the following organizations for their ongoing support: the British Columbia Conservation Foundation, Columbia Basin Trust, the City of Fernie, R.D.E.K., the District of Elkford, Fernie Alpine Resort, Wildsight, the Free Press, the Elk Valley Herald and everyone who has made efforts to bear proof their properties in order to reduce human-bear conflict throughout the Elk Valley. Have a great winter and stay tuned for more updates next spring.

Please continue to report bear sightings and incidents to the Ministry of Environment 24-hour hotline at 1-877-952-7277.

Hibernation is an important survival strategy for bears in regions such as British Columbia where their main foods – green vegetation, berries, salmon and insects – are not available in winter. However, most bears do not go into hibernation in warm climates where enough food is available year-round. With only about six months to build up fat reserves for hibernation, bears must eat a great deal of food. They are particularly attracted to foods that are abundant and high in protein and energy and that they can get with little effort. During a period called hyperphagia, bears prepare for hibernation by eating three times as much in the fall as they do in the summer. In the fall, bears need up to 20,000 calories per day (about 300 apples) to gain enough weight to get through the winter. In some areas, food-conditioned bears that are used to accessing human food, such as garbage, may not hibernate at all. Bears typically hibernate for three to five months on the South Coast and for longer periods (probably five to seven months) in the Interior and the North.

Two black bears seen in downtown Fernie

mountainwords — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:44:46 +0000

Two black bears (mom and cub) were seen on a slope in the area behind Overwaitea in downtown Fernie, heading towards the Fernie Aquatic Centre at around 12pm today.

If you see them anywhere else in town please report it to the RAPP line as soon as possible – 1-877-952-7277 so we can make sure they get to a safe place to hibernate.

Recent Bear Sightings in Elkford and Fernie

bearawareelkvalley — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:49:03 +0000

Elkford

A cinnamon black bear and three cubs have been seen on Alpine Drive.

Fernie

A black bear sow and two cubs have been getting into pumpkins on Cunliff Road.

Recent Bear Sightings in Elkford and Fernie

bearawareelkvalley — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:20:11 +0000

Elkford

Two white black bear cubs have been seen on Natal Road.

A black bear sow and three cubs (two white cubs and one black cub) have been seen on Aspen Crescent.

Three black bears have been seen on Alpine Drive.

Fernie

A black bear sow and a cub have been seen getting into garbage by Quatrine Apartments.

Mom bear and cub seen heading towards downtown Fernie

bearawarefernie — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:59:46 +0000

November 3rd 9pm. A mom bear and her cub were seen crossing the road from Quatrine appartments heading east towards Rotary park.

Bear sigtings in Ridgemont and Mountainview in Fernie

bearawarefernie — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:48:06 +0000

Nov 2. Bears have been reported accessing garbage on Ridgemont Drive and Mount Proctor. It is still bear season, expect to see bears in Fernie neighborhoods until the snow flies. Please remember to store garbage indoors between collection days. Ask your neighbors to do the same. This will result in a safer neighborhood for everyone and keep our Fernie bears wild and alive. Thanks )

Conservation Officers and Bear Aware will be on patrol in Fernie Halloween Night

bearawarefernie — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:58:12 +0000

Bear Aware is urging residents to make efforts to bring all garbage indoors, even empty cans which are know to attract bears. On Halloween night between 6:30 and 9 pm The C.O.Service and Bear Aware will be patrolling areas with reported bear activity. Trick or treaters, travel in groups, stay in well lit areas and make noise to warn bears of your presence to avoid surprise encounters. Younger kids should be accompanied by an adult. Please call in all bear sightings to the RAPP line on 1-877-952-7277 so that bear activty can be monitored and conflict prevented.

Grizzly and Black Bears Seen in Fernie

bearawareelkvalley — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:46:03 +0000

A grizzly bear sow charged the door of a residential house on 12th Avenue after getting into recycling. The sow had a this year’s cub with her.

Two small black bears have been seen by the river on the east side of Highway 3 behind the College of the Rockies.

Recent Bear Sightings in Elkford

bearawareelkvalley — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:07:02 +0000

A black bear sow and three cubs have been have been attracted by garbage on Casino Crescent.

A black bear sow and three cubs (two white cubs and one black cub) have been getting into garbage on Cariboo Drive.

Two black bear cubs have been getting into garbage on Cariboo Drive.

Keep Garbage Indoors

Bears eating garbage in residential areas poses a threat to public safety and usually results in the bears being killed. A family of bears continues to access garbage kept outside in Elkford. Bear Aware and the District of Elkford are urging residents to make every effort possible to bring the District residential garbage bins indoors (put them in a garage or a shed so bears cant get to them). If this is not an option please consider keeping garbage inside your house (you can put the smelly stuff in the freezer) or take excess garbage to the transfer station between collection days.

Bear Sightings in Fernie and Elkford

bearawareelkvalley — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:25:49 +0000

Fernie

A black bear has been reported on Cokato Road.

A black bear has been getting into garbage on Hoath Street.

A brown-coloured black bear has been getting into an apple tree and reported in residential yards on Ridgemont Crescent.

A black bear has been seen in a residential yard on Dicken Road.

Elkford

Three black bear cubs (two white cubs and one black cub) have been seen on Galbraith Drive and in the woods near Bare Hill.

A white-coloured black bear has been seen on Alpine Drive.

A white-coloured bear has been attracted by a barbeque on Carling Place.

A bear has been reported getting into garbage on Delta Crescent.