Black Bears have become extremely active lately, raiding apple trees with unpicked fruit and dumping unsecured garbage cans.
Conservation Officer Stuart Bates says bears are trying to quickly fatten up right now.
“At this time of year the bears have reached a stage of hyperphagia where their brains seem to be hardwired to their stomachs. They’re trying to look for up to 20,000 calories a day. Rotten apples and garbage are easy access to lots of calories,” he said.
“And contrary to popular belief, not all bears hibernate; there will be some cases where the bears won’t, because they still have access to food. So if they have continued access to garbage and fruit trees they won’t always hibernate, they’ll stay out. We deal with bears year round on Vancouver Island.”
Bates along with the City of Port Alberni Bylaw officers have been combing neighbourhoods, looking for attractants and warning homeowners, or handing them $230 fines.
“We’ve been doing this for a few years now, so we’re not educating anymore; the education they’re going to get is a $230 ticket,” he said.
He said they haven’t had to put many bears down in the Alberni Valley this year and they hope to keep it that way.
