It’s fall and that means bears are roaming around looking to fatten up before winter hibernation.
“We have a lot of bear activity in West Kelowna neighborhoods, “Wildsafe BC community coordinator Meg Bjordal said.
And because a fed bear is a dead bear, Wildsafe BC has been going out garbage tagging in bear prone areas of West Kelowna.
“We put educational stickers on garbage bins that remind people that garbage put out early is an attract for bears.” Bjordal said.
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The point of the program is to remind residents to manage attracts and prevent bears from associating humans with food.
“We advise that people wait until morning to put waste out for collection,” Bjordal said.
So what exactly should you do with your refuse?
“We would ask that you keep it in your garage,” Bjordal said.
WATCH MORE: As bear activity spikes in the Okanagan, residents being urged not to attract the animals into their neighborhood by leaving garbage out overnight
It’s a message that Wildsafe BC has been trying to get out to the public for a number for years now.
But some people are reluctant to change their waste ways.
“I’m not going to put my garbage in my house are you guys for real?” said one resident who approached Bjordal as she was looking at his garbage.
However, bears are creatures of habit and once they get a free meal from garbage, they often return to the source.
“It can increase the potential for human bear conflicts in the community,” Bjordal said.
WATCH MORE: Bear sightings on the rise in the Okanagan as the animals prepare for winter hibernation
And when those conflicts occur, all too often, the bear ends up being destroyed.
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