Thursday May 21. A black bear has been seen throughout the Annex subdivision in Fernie and a bear was seen by a mountain biker on Uprooted trail. Please ensure that your property is bear proof and also ensure that even empty garbage cans are stored indoors. An empty garbage can is a visual cue and for a bear to come and investigate and bears will also be attracted by its odor.

Elk Valley communities are located in prime wildlife habitat. We all enjoy living here and must always be aware of our surroundings and respectful of our environment. Thank you to everyone who is making an effort to prevent human/wildlife conflict. We have many new seasonal residents and visitors so it’s up to us who have been here a while to lead by example and help our new neighbours and friends.

At home: store garbage in a secure garage or shed or inside your house until collection day, bring in bird feeders between May and November, clean your BBQ’s and manage all other attractants responsibly.

Hiking and Biking: Make noise to warn wildlife of your presence, watch for signs of wildlife activity (claw marks, tracks, and fresh scat), travel in groups in daylight, do not litter on trails, carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Wildlife Sightings
If you observe dangerous wildlife:
 accessing garbage or other human supplied food sources
 that cannot be scared off
 in a public location such as a park or school during daylight hours
 a bear, cougar or wolf seen in an urban area

Call the Ministry of Environment 24-hour hotline at 1-877-952-7277, this allows officers to identify current hot spot locations and work with both residents and wildlife to encourage use of natural habitats and food sources before they become habituated and/or a safety concern.

For more information on keeping communities’ safe and wildlife wild please visit www.wildsafebc.com, or follow us on Facebook, WildsafeBC Elk Valley.