A bump in berry crops up in the mountains has kept bears out of Nelson this summer.
But WildSafeBC Nelson Coordinator Lisa Thomson said with fall approaching and fruit ripening in the city, things could change.
“It hasn’t really been much of a bear season. I think just because there’s been bumper berry crops higher up in the mountains, all the bears have been up there thoroughly enjoying their massive amount of food sources. So, it’s really great to see.”
She said reports of bears have been notably low in recent months – a stark contrast to last year, when eight bears were fatally removed from the city.
Thomson credits the change to an abundance of natural food in the wild, in addition to improved community efforts.
“It’s great to see that we’ve now got all the bear-proof bins in downtown. That’s been a huge effort, and it makes a big difference. I’m not seeing as many garages with garbage put out the night before.”
In addition to garbage management, she highlighted the city’s abundance of unmanaged fruit trees – a significant attractant for bears, skunks, and rats.
“There are a lot of feral fruit trees throughout the city that just aren’t being managed. They’re increasing the rat population, and skunks and bears are eating them and such. The fewer feral fruit trees we have around, the better.”
City bylaws require fallen fruit to be cleared every three days.
If a tree is unmanaged or causing concern, residents can call bylaw enforcement or, Thompson recommends checking out community resources like the Nelson Fruit Exchange or Food Hub Facebook pages.
Grizzly bears
Grizzly bear activity within city limits has been slim to none this summer, although Thomson noted that the grizzly sow – who was relocated from the city with her two cubs two years ago – has given birth again.
“The grizzly sow that was collared and relocated has three new cubs this year, which is really great to see. She and her cubs have mostly stayed lower, kind of south of Cottonwood Lake, around that wetland area.”
Thomson said one of the cubs appears to have a deformity, which may explain why the sow has remained in lower terrain.
“She’s just kind of staying down lower to avoid coming into contact with a lot of other grizzlies. There are, you know, between eight to twelve different grizzlies up around Apex Mountain, so she’s probably just avoiding conflict and protecting her newborns.”
The family has been spotted near rail trails and highway crossings, which is why it’s paramount to stay alert when in the Cottonwood Lake area.
“It’s really important that we’re conscientious, making noise, and trying to keep that family safe.”
Looking ahead
Although this summer has been quiet, residents are reminded not to let their guard down as fall approaches and fruit ripens in residential areas.
“We’re seeing a heavy fruit season as well, so it’ll be interesting in the coming months to see whether those bears come back into town for the abundance of fruit we have around here.”
She added that predicting future bear activity can be difficult, as it depends on a number of factors, including winter conditions and berry production next spring.
“We know that bears mate in May and June, but female bears don’t process or develop the embryo until they’re moving into the winter den. They need to be in really great condition to survive the winter and give birth.
We may see more cubs next year if bears are over-conditioned going into the den because of this berry season.”
As we shift into fall, Thomson urges the community to remain vigilant and avoid becoming complacent.
“We sometimes become complacent when we don’t see a lot of bears around. But they’re still out there, and it is our responsibility year-round to manage all of those attractants and keep our garbage locked up.”
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