Police in Salmon Arm are asking area residents to be wildlife ‘smart’ after fielding several animal calls this week.
On Thursday, Salmon Arm RCMP said they attended seven animal calls in a span of three days, with four of those calls involving bears on Wednesday.
“It is that transitional period when the new grass shoots are gone and the berries have yet to come out,” Salmon Arm Staff Sgt. Scott West said in a press release.
“Bears are therefore out looking for food and come into contact with people as they roam neighbourhoods from time to time, looking for a food source.”
West added local conservation officers have been made aware of the incidents and attended yesterday to an area on 17th Street SE and Okanagan Avenue.
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“In Salmon Arm, we enjoy trails and green spaces that run through town. Animals use these strips of forest as well,” said West. “If you back onto these areas, it is especially important to remove food sources.”
Police say the number one thing to prevent wildlife encounters is to have no food sources or garbage around your home. Other tips include bringing in bird feeders and not leaving pet food outside.
For more tips on how to be wildlife smart, visit WildSafeBC.