ARE BEARS SMART?
Bears have one of the highest brain-to-body mass ratios of all the mammals and are adept at sourcing food, opening doors and windows, and using tools. They have excellent long-term memories and although scientists don't know how they do it, bears have amazing navigational abilities, and are able to travel widely without becoming lost. Relocating bears isn't always successful because 50% of the time, they find their way back to the neighbourhood where they found human food.
ARE BLACK BEARS LARGE?
Black bears vary considerably in size, depending on food availability and season. Adult male black bears typically weigh 50 to 300 kg (130 to 660 lb.); females weigh 40 to 140 kg (90 to 308 lb.).
- source: Bear-ology: Fascinating Bear Facts Tales & Trivia, Sylvia Dolson. To find out more about this book and the Whistler-based Get Bear Smart Society, visit www.bearsmart.com.
ON THE WEB
Other interesting websites:
The Wildlife Research Institute in Minnesota has an extensive list of publications on bears and other wildlife and posts a daily blog about following a family of black bears via radio collars. For more information, visit www.bearstudy.org.
Bear Aware, an educational program designed to reduce conflicts between people and bears, has a collection of news articles about bears, bear facts, and safety tips, among other things. Visit www.bearaware.bc.ca
PREPARE FOR BEARS
Bears are still foraging for food to fatten up for hibernation, so remove all bear attractants from your yard. Here are some tips:
Secure all potential food sources, including food scraps and food-soiled papers, beverage containers, barbecue grills, compost piles, pet food, bird feed, diapers, grease barrels, petroleum and chemical products.
Pick all ripe food and ensure beehives and bird feeders are inaccessible to wildlife.
Ensure outdoor refrigerators or freezers are locked or inaccessible to wildlife.
Garbage set-out time in all three cities is between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m. on collection day.
