Bears are awake and some are roaming in the woods and may be attracted to people's garbage, warns bear aware co-ordinator Drake Stephens.
Stephens said four or five bears have been spotted in Coquitlam and one apparently got into a chicken coop at a hobby farm on Cedar Drive.
Although it's early in the season and some bears may still be asleep under snow cover in the mountains, those that denned closer to urban areas are up and about. Stephens said he has already been visiting homes that have been leaving their garbage unsecured.
This week, Coquitlam was awarded an $8,780 by the BC Conservation Foundation to help pay for a Bear Aware co-ordinator. The funding comes from a combination of provincial money, a gaming grant and a contribution by the Columbia Basin Trust. In all, 24 communities are getting Bear Aware grants.
Bear Aware also has a new website. For information about ways to avoid human/bear conflicts, visit www.bearaware.bc.ca.
