With spring arriving in the South Cariboo, bears have already been spotted waking from their winter hibernations.
As bears will be looking for accessible food sources, local conservation officer Joel Kline is reminding 100 Mile House residents to secure possible attractants around their homes.
Some tips include storing garbage in a location that is inaccessible to bears and only putting it out on garbage pickup days. Kline suggests managing fruit trees and berry bushes, securing livestock/feed sources and limiting the use of bird feeders. Freezers should also be stored inside, compost locked down and barbeques cleaned regularly.
“Use common sense when it comes to interacting with these wild animals,” Kline said.
Other security options include electric fencing and animal-resistant containers, he said, adding every little bit helps to prevent bears from becoming habituated or food-conditioned.
Conservation Officer Service will be monitoring the area and may hand out fines to anyone who may be attempting to attract dangerous wildlife with food. The CSO can be reached through their 24-hour Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277.