We choose to recreate in wildlife country!  A cougar was seen by the bike park in Fernie on Saturday evening, brown colored black bear and 2 cubs seen on Kush, moose cow and calf seen at the top of Gorby and a cyclist had an encounter with a grizzly bear on the Trans Canada trail past Wardner.

Be prepared and expect to enocutner wildlife anytime and have your bear spray accessible, ideally in a holster on your person just in case you get seperated from your bike.

For more information on wildlife go to www.wildsafebc.com

Boo to the downhill bikers that I almost had a full on collision with early this morning.  You are lucky I wasn’t a bear feeding in a berry bush!  Thanks to the next group of downhill bikers who were calling out, warned me of their presence, slowed down and pulled over to let me keep on climbing up the trail.

I was out surveying the berry crop.  A great berry crop will provide lots of natural food for bears and hopefully result in a reduction in human/wildlife conflict.  If you are out berry picking, hiking, or biking through berry patches be prepared and expect to encounter bears anytime.

Thanks for helping keep wildlife wild and communities safe and practicing good multi trail use etiquette.

For more information on wildlife safety go to www.wildsafebc.com

Bear resistant dumpsters are only as bear resistant as the users!  We’ve had reports of bears accessing garbage from bear resistant dumpsters that were left open and/or overflowing with garbage.  The dumpster is only bear resistant if it closed and latched properly.  If the bin is full please do not dump garbage next to it.  Take it to another location, the bear resistant bins at F.A.R. in parking lot #4, the transfer station on Highway 3 or the public bins at City Hall, the arena or the aquatic centre.

Businesses please ensure that bins are emptied on a regular basis.   You may need to schedule an extra pick up after a busy weekend.  Thank you for ensuring that all of your guests are informed about the responsible disposal of garbage in bear country.   If you need support with this please contact fernie@wildsafebc.com.

For more information on preventing human/wildlife conflict go to www.wildsafebc.com

There have been two reports of grizzly bear sightings on Swine flu Trail this morning.  Make noise to avoid surprising bears at close range, travel in groups during daylight and have bear spray ready and accessible just in case.

For more information on staying safe in bear country go to www.wildsafebc.com

Are you planning on heading out on the trails?   Do you have bear spray accessible and how confident are you if you need to use it?  WildSafeBC will be running a “how to safely use bear spray” session, tomorrow, Thursday July 5^th at 6pm at the Bike Park Gazebo behind the aquatic centre in Fernie, free of charge.  This is a great opportunity to come and get hands on practice with inert bear spray (bear spray without the pepper).

For more information contact fernie@wildsafebc.com.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between black and grizzly bears.  Brown colored bears are often reported as grizzly bears but remember that black bears come in a variety of colors-everything from the white Kermode bear through their namesake black and every shade of brown in between.  Black bears have longer pointed ears, short dark claws, a straight face profile and their muzzle is usually lighter in color.  Grizzly bears also have a variety of colors ranging from black to almost blonde.  Grizzly bears have long light colored claws, shorter rounded ears, a dished face profile and a shoulder hump.

Whether it is a black or a grizzly bear, if it is surprised at close range it is likely to react defensively.  That is why it is important to make noise to warn bears of your presence and avoid surprise encounters and have bear spray ready and accessible just in case.

For more information on bears go to www.wildsafebc.com

Tuesday July 3.  Grizzly bear reported on Swine Flu on Saturday later in the evening.  Small cinnamon cub and a larger cinnamon bear seen throughout the Montane trail network.  Brown colored bear with two cubs on Coal Discovery Trail, reported as grizzly bears.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between black and grizzly bears.  Brown colored bears (like the one in the photo) are often reported as grizzly bears.  Whether it is a black or a grizzly bear, if it is surprised at close range it is likely to react defensively.  That is why it is important to make noise to warn bears of your presence and avoid surprise encounters and have bear spray ready and accessible just in case.

For more information on bears go to www.wildsafebc.com

Monday June 25.  A mountain biker who was alone and calling out still surprised a mama bear and cub on a switchback on Sidewinder trail in Ridgemont last night. The cub ran up a tree and the mama bear bluff charged the mountain biker.  This is normal defensive behaviour for a bear defending her cub.  Grizzly bear sighting reported on Fairy Creek Falls trail.

Are you planning on heading out on the trails?   Do you have bear spray accessible and how confident are you if you need to use it?  WildSafeBC will be running a “how to safely use bear spray” sessions for the Fernie Women on Wheels group this Wednesday June 27 and for the public next Thursday July 5^th at 6pm at the Bike Park Gazebo behind the aquatic centre in Fernie, free of charge.  .  This is a great opportunity to come and get hands on practice with inert bear spray (bear spray without the pepper).  For more information contact fernie@wildsafebc.com.

Friday June 22.  A mountain biker reported being charged by a moose on the Lazy Lizard Trail yesterday.  Notices have been posted at the trail head.  Dogs chasing wildlife can provoke defensive behaviour.  Thank you for avoiding this trail with dogs.

For more information on moose safety go to www.wildsafebc.com

moose deserve their space and privacy

Wednesday June 20.  Thank you for not apporaching, or photographing this young moose in the Annex pond.  For the safety of the public and the moose, the area around the Annex pond will be closed unitl further  notice.   Thank you for respecting this closure.

Moose Safety Tips

• Moose are wild animals and need to be given space and privacy. Never approach a moose. Give the animals a wide berth and ensure they always have an escape route.
• Female moose with calves need extra space. Moose cows are very protective of their young and may attack if they perceive a threat. If you come across a cow and calf, calmly leave the area immediately.
• Be aware of moose body language. A threatened moose may lower its head and flatten its ears before charging. If you see these behaviours, find an escape route.
• If a moose does charge you, getting inside a nearby building or car is the safest option, but hiding behind a large tree or other solid object may effectively block the charge.
• Dogs and moose don’t mix. A moose can seriously injure or kill a dog if it feels threatened. Likewise, loose dogs can harass moose, causing undue stress. Never let your dog out if there is a moose in your yard.
• Use caution when walking dogs, keep them under voice control and/or leash.  Dogs chasing wildlife may result in human/wildlife conflict.

For more information on wildlife go to ww.wildsafebc.com