British Columbia residents urged to increase bear awareness

As autumn approaches, residents in British Columbia, particularly in the Greater Trail and Kootenay regions, are being urged to increase bear awareness. During this period, bears enter hyperphagia, a state of extreme eating where they may consume up to 20,000 calories a day to prepare for winter hibernation.

WildSafeBC and the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) advise residents to manage attractants to prevent human-wildlife conflict. Key recommendations include securing garbage in bear-resistant enclosures, only placing bins out on collection mornings, managing fruit trees to prevent windfall, and removing bird feeders between April and November. Other tips include keeping barbecues clean, feeding pets indoors, and maintaining odor-free compost.

Data from 2025 shows the impact of these encounters; the BCCOS dispatched 178 bears and euthanized 33 across the province. In the Kootenays specifically, the service dispatched 21 bears and euthanized four last year. Garbage is a primary driver of these incidents, appearing in 60 per cent of calls where an attractant is identified.