It’s a busy bear season on Vancouver Island this year.
On Wednesday morning, both Saanich Police and West Shore RCMP released advisories about bear sightings in two separate parts of Greater Victoria
According to Saanich Police, officers received reports of a bear spotted walking in the area of McKenzie Ave and Quadra St, and then Ambassador Park.
In this case, the bear was seen eating seeds from a bird feeder.
See also: “It’s the worst part of the job”: Bear euthanized in Langford after eating garbage
The BC Conservation Officer Service has been informed about this sighting, and people are reminded to keep all food items secure so that bears do not develop a taste for food sources not normally available in the wild.
Another bear was spotted in View Royal at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning. This bear was seen in the same area earlier this week.
In both cases, people are reminded to not approach bears and call local police or Conservation Officer Service.
On Monday, conservation officers had to euthanize an adult black bear in Langford after he was seen repeatedly eating garbage.
When bears get so accustomed to eating food made available by human sources, they lose their fear of human beings, and then cannot be relocated as they find their way back to cities to forage for food.
Residents in B.C. are required by law to lock up their garbage in an enclosure or a garbage container that has locking lids where trash cannot be accessed by wildlife.
Failure to lock up one’s garbage can lead to a $230 fine.
B.C. residents can report all wildlife-human interactions that put the public and animals at risk by calling 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) or #7277 on the TELUS Mobility Network.
More information about safety measures can be found on the WildSafeBC website.
