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Over the past month there have been 148 reported bear sightings in an around Kelowna, nearly 50 more reported than at the same time last year.
According to the Wildfire Alert Reporting Program (W.A.R.P.), which is run by WildSafe BC, the number of reported incidents varies over the area. In 2014, the majority of calls to WildSafe BC were to alert staff about bears in outlying areas such as the airport or in Black Mountain. But that was not the case in 2015 as more and more bears were spotted in East and South Kelowna as well as in the Knox Mountain area.
Of the bears reported this year, many were attracted to the area by garbage, fruit trees, and even composts as the black bears searched for food.
According to the information on the W.A.R.P. site, in the past month four bears have been destroyed by conservation officers in the Kelowna area, at the same time last year, no bears were destroyed by conservation officers. But that number may be higher as some bears may have had cubs with them.
According to WildSafe BC Coordinator Frank Ritcey, the number of calls into the reporting line is troubling. In August 2015 there were 123 reported calls about bears in West Kelowna and Kelowna, compared to 38 the year before. One of the problems is a lack of education in the area since there is no WildSafe BC program in the Central Okanagan.
“We are trying to get a program going in the Central Okanagan, there’s been efforts by local citizens to get a WildSafe BC in the community,” said Ritcey. "You can see by the call volume that it is warranted and people often think that since they live in the city there is no bear issue, but there have been a lot of sighting calls."
Ritcey says he is meeting with local officials this week to see if a program can be launched in the Central Okanagan, and help prevent the bear-human conflicts in the community.
“We have applied for funding from the provincial government every year, and hopefully this year we will get increased funding because the demand for our program has grown so much,” explained Ritcey.
The Regional District would also be responsible to donate to the program, with a minimum contribution of $3,000. The provincial funding would be around $10,000. A local person would then be hired to educate people about how to manage attractants.
"Our focus isn't saving bears, our focus is making the communities a safer place to live and a big part of that is keeping the wildlife wild," explained Ritcey. "If we do that, then the bears are not destroyed and they stay out in the wild where they should be."
There is currently a WildSafe BC program in the South Okanagan and the Kamloops region, but no specific program to cover the Central Okanagan. Ritcey hopes that the meeting this week will change that and that bear awareness will be made a priority in the region.
If you spot a bear or any other wildfire in your neighourhood you are encouraged to report it to the RAPP line by dialing 1-877-952-7227, or visit the Ministry of Environment website to learn more.
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