A wildlife warning has been issued for a West Kelowna neighbourhood.
The cooler weather means bears are looking to bulk up for hibernation.
Neighbourhoods like Talus Ridge and Shannon Lake may inadvertently be offering the buffet these bruins are looking for.
Andrea Tait with Wild Safe B.C. was going door to door in neighbourhoods Wednesday to warn of bears in the area.
“They are eating about 20,000 calories per day, every single day and so in order to do that they are actively looking for food about 20 hours per day,” Tait said.
“A mother bear and her two cubs have been spotted here numerous times in the last two weeks,” she said. “It’s especially concerning given its proximity to Shannon Lake Elementary School just down the road.”
Residents are urged to keep garbage inside until the morning of pick-up and gather ripe fruit and vegetables from gardens daily.
Compost bins need to be well managed to avoid attracting bears while pet food should be kept in storage.
“Bird seed is actually a very significant attractant with several thousand calories in just even a small amount of bird seed,” Tait said, reminding residents to only use bird feeders in winter.
By managing attractants both communities and wildlife can be kept safe, she said.