The picture above submitted by a Chilcotin resident is a good example of how not to picnic or camp.
People living and visiting in this region need to know that bears are their neighbours and opportunistic when it comes to finding food, be that berries on a bush, fish in a stream, an easily caught calf or a convenient picnic lunch.
Rigging is available to help campers secure food out of reach of bears between trees, or securing the food in a vehicle away from the tent is another option.
As the Ministry of Environment website states “a fed bear is a dead bear.” Most people are not aware of their role in the destruction of bears. If humans allow bears to access non-natural food sources such as garbage, they help to create “problem” bears.
In most cases, “problem” bears must be destroyed because they damage property and are a potential threat to human safety.
From 2004 – 2009 Conservation Officers in British Columbia had to kill, on average, 538 black bears and 37 grizzlies each year because of real or perceived threats to human safety. Most of these bears come into conflict with people because they are allowed to access non-natural food sources.
Bears are not to be fed.
It is an offence under the Wildlife Act to feed dangerous wildlife.
