South Cariboo residents are reminded to avoid leaving food and other attractants out as bears prepare to fatten up before hibernation.
That was the message from Wildsafe BC Cariboo Coordinator Mareike Moore at the South Cariboo Farmers Market last Friday. With a fairly warm October this year, she said that bears could be roaming around longer than usual.
“We’re trying to remind people to keep their garbage inside and if you have fruit trees to pick your fruit, and just be a bit more aware of the things you have around your home,” Moore said.
Moore advises people who have fruit trees they don’t use to either cut them down or gift the fruit to an individual or group. Residents are also reminded not to put their garbage bins on the curb until the morning of collection and to freeze smelly items until they are ready to be picked up. Animals should also be brought in at night.
Meanwhile, a bin cleaning contest throughout the Cariboo Regional District last September has wrapped up with several winners, including Dennis and Raechel Tupman, of 100 Mile House. The goal of the project was to reduce the smell of the garbage bins and ultimately the number of wildlife encounters around populated areas.
Wildsafe BC’s website, at https://wildsafebc.com/ catalogues all bear and wildlife encounters reported to conservation officers.
newsroom@100milefreepress.net
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