The Bear Essentials. City of Port Moody April 15, Presented to:

Transcription

1 The Bear Essentials Presented to: City of Port Moody April 15, 2015 Tom Saare BCIT Fish, Wildlife and Recreation Program North Shore Black Bear Network

2 Bears We ve Come to Know

3 Bears in the News: Wildlife authorities warn of seasonal bear encounters (Alberni Valley Times-March 19, 2015) Spring has arrived and so have the black bears (Kelowna Now-March 20, 2015) The bears are waking up, it s time to get bear aware (The Province-March 21, 2015) Photo: Tom Saare

4 The Bear Facts Black Bears Most widely distributed bear species in North America There could be close to 1,000,000 black bears across the continent Black Bear Range

5 The Bear Facts Black bears are found in most provinces and territories in Canada There is estimated to be 120,000 to 160,000 black bears in BC Province Population Alberta 36,000 British Columbia 140,000 Manitoba 27,500 New Brunswick 16,000 Newfoundland 8,000 NWT / Nunavut 5,000 Nova Scotia 8,000 Ontario 100,000 Quebec 60,000 Saskatchewan 25,000 Yukon 10,000 Total 437, Black Bears: A Natural History

6 The Bear Facts Black Bears are long-lived animals The average life span is about 18 years, with some bears living into their 20 s One bear observed in the wild reached a record of 31 years The oldest black bear in a zoo reached 44 years Photo Credit: North American Bear Centre

7 The Bear Facts Black bears come in a number of colour phases Black Brown / Cinnamon Blue (glacier bear) White (Kermode s or Spirit Bear) Photo Credit: Klemtu Tourism

8 The Bear Facts Bears can see just as well as humans Bears can also see relatively well at night Bears have a well developed sense of hearing Photo Credit: North American Bear Centre

9 The Bear Facts Bears have an extraordinary sense of smell 100 times that of a human 7 times that of a bloodhound Bears can detect odours over a mile away Photo Credit: Brian Switek

10 The Bear Facts Bears have a well developed sense of hearing Bears are extremely curious animals Bears have good long-term memory Bears are very intelligent Photo Credit: Jim Blackwell

11 Bird Feeder or Bear Feeder? Photo Credits: Erik Kalviainen

12 The Bear Facts Black bears are classified as carnivores, but are actually omnivores Diet consists of (approx.): 75 % Vegetation 16% Meat/Fish/Carrion 9% Insects Photo Credit-Government of Alberta

13 The Bear Facts Bears are very strong swimmers Bears can run up to 50 km per hour Bears can also run extremely well downhill or uphill

14 Seasonal Considerations-Denning Hibernation / Torpor Heart beat drops Body temperature does not change significantly Does not urinate or defecate Donna Andrews-North American Bear Centre Can waken quickly

15 Seasonal Considerations-Denning Common den sites: Tree Cavities Depressions under brush Under boulders Under logs Camera Trap Codger Buildings

16 Seasonal Considerations-Denning North American Bear Centre

17 Seasonal Considerations-Denning Flicker

18 Seasonal Considerations-Denning Rich Beausoleil-WDFW

19 Seasonal Considerations-Denning Black bears typically hibernate for 3-5 months Settle into den, late October and November Cubs born in den, usually January / February North American Bear Centre Emerge in April / May

20 Hungry as a Bear After emerging from the den, bears seek out new spring plant growth By late summer, black bears are in an eating frenzy (hyperphagia) as they bulk up for the winter denning period Feeding can occur for up to 20 hours per day Photo Credit: North American Bear Centre

21 Hungry as a Bear Caloric intake for average, active person/per day: 2000 calories Caloric intake for a bear preparing for denning/per day: > 20,000 calories Turkey Dinner Calories 5 Kg. of Turkey cups of Mashed Potatoes cups of Stuffing ladles of Gravy Rolls with Butter 2000 Total calories per day 22,600 Total calories per month 678,000

22 Hungry as a Bear In an urban setting, human attractants can satisfy the high caloric needs of bears A bear s keen sense of smell and easy access to food is a recipe for problems Inevitably it is the bear that pays the price when these problems occur Photo Credit: Brian Wallace-Juneau Empire

23 Stash the Trash Household garbage is the number 1 attractant for bears By properly managing our garbage, we can significantly reduce issues with bears (and other wildlife) Photo Credit: City of Port Moody

24 Stash the Trash To minimize odours, freeze meat, fish, bones and packaging Seal all garbage in odour proof plastic garbage bags Store garbage in garage or bear resistant out building Sanitize your bear resistant garbage container regularly

25 Stash the Trash Tips to remember: Do not put garbage out before 5:30 am on morning of collection Cart lids must close completely Unclip the bear resistant locks on the cart Photo Credit: City of Port Moody

26 Bird Feeders Bird seed is a calorie rich food source for bears. 1 kg of black-oil sunflower seeds offers about 3500 cal 1 litre of hummingbird nectar can provide almost 800 cal Photo Credit: Alan Bauer

27 Bird Feeders What to do? Take down feeders from March to December Hang feeders out of reach Utilize seed catch trays Bring feeders in at night Photo Credit: Tom Saare

28 Pet Food Feed pets indoors Store pet foods indoors or in secure out buildings Photo Credit: Sierra Wave Media

29 Gardens & Fruit Trees Keep fruit trees pruned Pick fruit on a regular basis Pick-up all fallen fruit Store all harvested fruit securely indoors If fruit is not used, consider cutting down trees Photo Credits: City of Port Moody

30 Gardens & Fruit Trees Consider donating fruit There are some organizations that will pick the fruit for you and give to local food banks Pick vegetables as they mature Use compost rather than bone meal or fish fertilizer Install electric fence system or animal motion sensor

31 Composting Compost bins should be regularly maintained Equal portions of brown and green materials should be used Frequently aerate your compost to reduce odours Occasionally add lime to compost City of Port Moody

32 Barbecues & Freezers Keep grills clean of grease and food scraps Remove and empty grease trap after each use Store barbecue in secure place when not in use Freezers should be stored inside, not on decks or in carports

33 Other Attractants Keep gas cans and oil for lawn mowers and weed whackers in secured out buildings Be vigilant with pet doors, open windows and screen doors

34 Avoidance-Be Bear Aware If a bear should enter your yard: From a safe distance, make lots of noise, yell or use a noise device such as a whistle or air horn Once the bear has left, check your yard for attractants Check with neighbours about possible attractants Photo Credit: Newark Community Examiner

35 Avoidance-Out and About When walking local trails: Make noise to alert wildlife Keep dogs on leash If running or cycling, be aware of your surroundings Respect trail closures Photo Credit: City of Port Moody

36 Avoidance-Out and About Staying aware & alert is your best defense against bear problems Be extra vigilant when hiking in dense bush Always be alert when walking near streams Photo: Tom Saare

37 Avoidance-Out and About Walk or hike in groups Be aware of local and seasonal food sources such as : Fish Berries

38 Avoidance-Out and About Stay particularly alert at: Dawn and, Dusk

39 Avoidance-Out and About Be able to recognize bear signs Avoid or leave areas that have abundant, fresh sign of bears such as: Scat Fresh tracks

40 Avoidance-Out and About If you encounter a bear on the trail: Stay calm Do not run Talk to the bear in a calm voice Back away and leave the area Photo Credit: Tom Saare

41 Bear Encounters A bear s personal space fight or flee

42 Reporting Human-Wildlife Conflicts Conservation Officer Service RAPP Line (Report all Polluters & Poachers) 24 hr. toll free call centre (RAPP) BC Ministry of Environment

43 Reporting Human-Wildlife Conflicts The COS will respond when: Bears are accessing garbage or other human food sources Bears cannot be easily scared off Bears are in public areas during daylight Cougars are seen in public areas Rochelle Baker-Abbotsford Times

44 Reporting Human-Wildlife Conflicts The COS will not respond to: Routine bear sightings Normal bear behavior Situations where the complainant can use simple actions to mitigate the problem Danna McCall-Living Snoqualmie

45 More Information City of Port Moody ( Bear Aware British Columbia ( Get Bear Smart Society ( Conservation Officer Service (

46 More Information Living with Bears: A Practical Guide to Bear Country Linda Masterson Bear-ology Sylvia Dolson Black Bears: A Natural History Dave Taylor Living in Bear Country (DVD) Safety in Bear Country Society

47 Questions?