Planting Bear Food Get
Bear Smart partners with the Habitat Improvement Team HIT to plant
63 Mountain Ash bushes (sorbus sitchensis) on Whistler Mountain
June 23, 2009. This brings the total Mountain Ash bushes planted
on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains in the past two years to over
250.
Enhancing natural habitat in areas surrounding
human development may be a good way to keep bears out of residential
areas. Mountain Ash bushes produce fruit during the fall when
other food sources have been depleted and conflicts in the valley
bottom are high. The idea is to draw bears out of conflict areas
and up on the mountains where they can feed out of conflict.
It is also important to remove trees/shrubs in areas where bears
are not welcome.
FEATURE STORY
SOMETHING’S BRUIN: Two young
adult black bearsexhibit
courting behaviour on Whistler Mountain recently as a third
black bear grazes on grasses nearby.
Humans learning to coexist with
bears
Better attractant management credited for drop in number of calls,
conflicts so far in 2009
Jennifer Miller, June 25, 2009, Whistler Question
It’s still early in Whistler’s black bear season, but
people working to reduce human-bear conflict and keep bears from
finding garbage in the resort are “encouraged” by a
dramatic reduction in the number of calls to report bear sightings
so far this year.
Conservation Officer Drew Milne said Tuesday (June 23) that call
volume to report bear activity is down almost 50 per cent compared
to the early part of last season. Since April, 114 calls have
been received at the B.C. Conservation Officer Service hotline.
For the same period in 2008, 209 calls were received.
“I haven’t seen as many bears (in the Village and Whistler’s
residential areas),” Milne said. “It’s encouraging.”
Even more “promising,” Milne said, is that only five
calls were received during May that were related to bears getting
into garbage, compared with 20 such calls in the same month last
year. MORE
JUST RELEASED!
Bear~ology: Fascinating Bear Facts,
Tales & Trivia by Sylvia Dolson
“Bear~ology is smart, informative, entertaining, accessible and a must-read for bear fans everywhere.” — Benjamin Kilham
Bear~ology is a treasure-trove of folklore and amazing
trivia that allows readers to discover the history and
nature of black bears, grizzlies and
polar bears. Along the way, meet some famous bears
(real and not-so-real), learn about bear totems and mythologies
of Native peoples and ancient cultures throughout the world,
and see how bears have become embedded in our lives, from
the names of night-sky constellations and sports teams to
advertising campaigns and everyday language. Complete with
color photos and numerous illustrations, plus helpful tips
for coexisting with our furry neighbours.
“Read Bear-ology and you will succumb to its cumulative effects. The many interesting vignettes and images of bears lead to enjoyment, understanding, and respect. Through hundreds of smiles and reflections, Bear-ology will open a door and invite you into the fascinating world of bears and people who care about them.”
— Dr. Stephen Herrero, international bear expert and author of Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance
Bear~ology retails for $18 US/22.95 CAD.
Shipping costs are extra. Wholesale prices are also available
for stores and bear aware groups.
BEAR-OLOGY $18 US/22.95 CAD
(plus shipping) paperback
ISBN 978-0-9773724-5-4
5.5 x 8, 192 pages
with 32 color pages
over 160 photos/illustrations
Published March 2009 by PixyJack Press
BEAR HUGS TO OUR SUPPORTERS!
Paws
up for Mountain FM Radio! They have generously offered to suppport
our Bear Smart Educational Campaign by airing free Public Service
Announcements throughout the entire bear season again this year.
Last year they created three ads - one that aired all spring;
one that addressed mid-summer issues; and a third announcement
that aired throughout the high conflict period in the fall. In
total, our ads ran 374 times in 2008. Thanks to Mountain FM for
running the ads again in 2009. We applaud their community mindedness
and are grateful for their support of bear smart programs.
Get
Bear Smart partners with the Habitat Improvement Team HIT to plant
63 Mountain Ash bushes (sorbus sitchensis) on Whistler Mountain
June 23, 2009. This brings the total Mountain Ash bushes planted
on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains in the past two years to over
250.
