Oliver Road to Minnekhada Regional Park in Coquitlam has become a zoo without fences as pedestrians, drivers and cyclists jostle to get up close to bears.
Dozens of potentially risky encounters were spotted by park staff last summer — including people who threw food at the bears or left it for them — prompting the regional park authority to consider hiring more staff to patrol the road in addition to road closures, education and the placement of warning signs.
Last year was one of the busiest for bear complaints in the Tri-Cities, with one girl injured when she was attacked by a bear along trails near Coquitlam River, and 17 bears were destroyed from April through to December because of issues in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.
But the potential for bear/human conflicts has been well known at Minnekhada despite the installation of electric fending by owners of blueberry fields, prompting park staff to initiate a three-stage plan that includes road closures when bear sightings are high and handing out brochures, putting up signs and issuing other warnings.
The problem typically occurs in the summer when blueberries ripen and bears come down out of the mountains through the park to the road. People driving, walking or cycling to the park or the Pitt-Addington Marsh dike system will sometimes stop, causing "bear jams" — a name park staff have given to roadside havoc that could pose a danger to humans and bears.
To get a handle on the situation, staff made a point of monitoring the area during a six-week period in June and July, during which time they saw 108 bears while also witnessing several instances of people driving slowly or stopping to watch the bears — and in some cases, even approaching the bears to get a closer look.
Concerns about the risks prompted staff to increase public education and staff presence on Oliver Road; bear-proof containers were installed; and an electric fence was placed around Minnekhada Lodge.
But more work may be needed to prevent a future incident from occurring, according to the report.
There will be more patrols this summer as well as community outreach and, if necessary, the road will be closed in consultation with the city of Coquitlam and the Conservation Service.
More staff may also be needed to manage access and to stop risky behaviour, the report notes, citing several dangers if people approach bears in the area.
"Bears frequenting Oliver Road can become habituated to being in close proximity of people and vehicles. This can lead to an increased risk of bear-human conflict if the bear becomes defensive or aggressive to protect itself, its cubs or its food source.
"Bears are wild animals and have a strong drive to reach the blueberry fields with have become a major food source for them," the report notes.
