Bears addicted to garbage?
Lake Cowichan’s got them, and town council was wondering, at it’s public works meeting Feb. 19, if putting some money into WildSafeBC (formerly Bear Aware) would help solve the problem.
The group has asked for a donation, pointing out that they get more than $12K in combined donations from several municipalities and groups around the Valley but need more to step up the work they are doing.
Council, at the urging of Mayor Rod Peters, decided to look at the request during their coming budget discussions.
Council has been approached before, in July 2018, about the need to support WildSafeBC.
Shortly later, during the public input part of the meeting, Cara Smith suggested, “I noticed they have quite a number of options. There are several ways council can support this.”
Committee chair, Coun. Lorna Vomacka said, “I think the hours they put in are dependent on how much money you put into it. We’ll have to make that decision at budget time.”
Then there was a lively discussion about the difficulty of dealing with bruins who hang around residential areas, looking for people that persist in putting their garbage cans out the night before pick-up, despite warnings.
Bill Garrett of Lake Park Estates said he had circulated a notice about it to all the members of his strata there.
”We do have some problem bears in this town. The one I have seen with my own eyes is a 500-pound black bear that wanders from Lake Park Estates all the way to Point Ideal. It’s been seen by many people, and has tried to get into the homes on two occasions up at Lake Park. The whole problem is public awareness, and people not dealing with their garbage correctly. Public safety, public education is critical,” he said.
Vomacka then said, “I noticed on social media that there was a problem there [at Lake Park] and the strata took it upon themselves to give fines. Did you notice that once you started to implement fines that people were more pro-active about keeping their garbage in?”
Garrett replied that it was only partially successful, and that there is more than one strata in the big development.
“We still have two homes in my strata that have an issue. I’ve picked up garbage in the common area almost on a monthly basis, five large garbage bags full from the bear coming through and dragging stuff around. We’ve had the RCMP out on two occasions attempting to shoot the bear but couldn’t get a clean shot so they held fire.”
The problem is not new, he said.
“Fish and Wildlife —the conservation officer— spent almost two weeks out there nightly, patrolling the area. They were going to be coming through on a random basis, checking garbage cans, prepared to issue $800 fines. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen them since October, probably because of budget problems. But it is better. The bear is staying in the woods at least now, and coming to specific homes but it’s still an issue. The maximum fine the strata can impose is only $50. That’s not sufficient to really teach anybody not to put their garbage out early.”
Coun. Tim McGonigle was interested.
“Conservation has a little more clout than even our bylaws; $800 is significant. I think you’d learn pretty soon, with one ticket,” he said.
Vomacka was concerned.
“If the fine system is not going to deter somebody then you wonder at us investing the monies into public education,” she said.
Garrett continued.
“They tried to trap this bear. I actually watched as he circled the trap, about 25 yards away. He knew exactly what it was.”
Vomacka quipped, “He was smarter than the average bear. I’m sorry but I had to get that one in.”
Mayor Rod Peters has seen the animal himself.
“He’s in excellent shape. He’s huge, a gorgeous bear, if you can say that,” he said.
Garrett then explained, “They caught the sow about five years ago but they weren’t able to catch the cubs. There are at least two and possibly three resident bears now that have grown up in the community.”
Peters agreed that the problem is a long-standing one all around Lake Cowichan, and used a story to illustrate what he’s seen.
“I live at the top of River Road and I have a big old cedar stump, I don’t know how old it is but it’s massive. I think at one time it was actually a den for a bear. My garbage is locked behind my garage door but, every spring I have to go over there with a wheelbarrow and garbage bags because the bear comes in and checks out the neighbourhood and then takes the bags and puts them down there. That’s his storage area. Every spring I have to haul out about three or four garbage bags worth of stuff that’s been hauled in.”