Springs has sprung and with the warmer weather, Tri-City residents will need to properly secure their garbage and other animal attractants or risk coming into contact with bears.
Denny Chretien, a conservation officer for the Fraser Valley Zone, said the number of bear-related calls dipped dramatically during the winter denning period but in the last few weeks, he has noticed an increase in sightings.
When bears start to wake from their winter slumber usually depends on a bear's feeding habits and when food sources become available, he added. If food is scarce, the animals will continue to den, expending as little energy as possible.
"It is normal to start to see a bit more activity now," he said. "The good indicators are when the skunk cabbage is starting to bloom. That is usually their first food source."
Conservation officers and city bylaw officials will begin to patrol their areas, stepping up enforcement in order to encourage people to secure animal attractants on their property.
Fines of $150 can be issued to people who take their garbage to the curb outside of the designated time period or leave out bird feeders or other attractants in bear-prone areas.
While bears are more common along the northern reaches of the Tri-Cities, it is not unheard for bruins to show up in neighbourhoods far from their natural environment. Dan Scoones, Port Coquitlam's manager of bylaw enforcement, said bears often use the Coquitlam River corridor to travel to the southern parts of of the municipality.
"The south side isn't as bad but we are prepared to go there," he said. "They manage to find their way down there.
In Port Coquitlam, residents must bring their garbage out to the curb between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m. on collection day. Any food scraps and trash must be secured in wildlife-resistant enclosures (garage or shed) or be secured by a city-approved wildlife-resistant lock.
In 2011, five bears were destroyed after becoming habituated to human food sources out 573 sightings in Port Coquitlam.
For more information about the city's garbage regulations go to www.portcoquitlam.ca/bears or call 604-927-5496. To report a bear sighting call the Provincial Conservation Officer Service hotline at 1-877-952-8277.
BEAR SIGHTINGS
October
Coquitlam: 196
PoCo: 177
PoMo: 86
November
Coquitlam: 40
PoCo: 34
PoMo: 5
December
Coquitlam: 7
PoCo: 10
PoMo: 6
January
Coquitlam: 11
PoCo: 9
PoMo: 0
February
Coquitlam: 0
PoCo: 2
PoMo: 0
March
Coquitlam: 9
PoCo: 3
PoMo: 0
