WILDLIFE

UPDATE May 25, 2024

A BEAR was sighted in the Casa Loma area. With the McDougall Creek Fire we have all seen an influx of wildlife. From deer, coyotes, raccoons and bears they are looking for homes and food.

This is a reminder bears and raccoons are always looking for easy food. Please keep your garbage in your garage to help reduce the animals coming to our neighbourhood in search of food.

Under the B.C. Wildlife Act, a person who leaves attractants accessible to dangerous wildlife can be fined $345 by the B.C. Conservation Officer Service and setting carts out the night before collection in areas bears frequent is an offense.

To learn more about bears and other wildlife go to

https://wildsafebc.com/

UPDATE May 11, 2023

Please be aware of all wildlife in our area. In particular coyotes.

Coyote killed after 2-year-old child bitten in Port Coquitlam. The child was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

More information on coyote safety can be found at WildSafeBC’s website.

WildSafeBC is the provincial leader in preventing conflict with wildlife through collaboration, education and community solutions.

UPDATE May 24, 2022

Please beware and respectful of the wildlife in your area. Spring is here and the wildlife families have increased with fawns, cubs and kittens. The mothers will be very protective of their little ones.

A reminder, when walking your dog in our parks, please obey the leash laws.

UPDATE February 25, 2022

As spring approaches, the wildlife seems to more prevalent.

We ask all residents to please be aware of their surrounding with regards to wild animals. They are starting to come out and move about looking for food sources and new homes.

There has been deer activity most of the winter and now we are seeing smaller animals running around.

Many neighbourhoods have reported seeing raccoons and coyotes. Be very careful around them, they may look cute but they can be a dangerous to you and your pets.

For more information on raccoons. go to https://wildsafebc.com/species/raccoon/

And for coyotes go to https://wildsafebc.com/species/coyote/

The City of West Kelowna has a very good website on all the wildlife in our area.

https://www.westkelownacity.ca/en/our-community/bearsandwildlife.aspx

 Human-Bear Conflicts in West Kelowna

There is currently an exceptionally high level of bear activity occurring in West Kelowna. Neighbourhoods of highest concern include Glenrosa, Westbank, Smith Creek, Shannon Lake and Rose Valley; however, other neighbourhoods, including around Mt Boucherie are also experiencing visits from bears. All residents have a critical role in preventing conflict situations from developing by managing attractants - thus keeping both the bears and people safe.

At this time of year, bears are in a phase called hyperphagia, which means intense eating. They need to increase their body weight by approximately 30% so that they will have enough energy stores to survive winter denning. In order to find enough food as it gets closer to winter, bears tend to move to lower elevations where there is still greenery. With our community situated at these lower elevations, bear sightings and conflicts in residential areas tend to peak annually in September. However, likely due to the draught conditions reducing natural food availability, and nearby fires displacing bears from their normal habitat areas this year, fall bear activity started earlier than usual, and is currently at an exceptionally high level.

Practising good attractant management is especially critical right now. Conflict situations arise when bears have access to unnatural foods including garbage, fruit trees, and birdseed. Please use WildSafeBC’s Top 10 Tips to do your part to keep the community safe and the bears in the wild!

WildSafeBC’s Top 10 Tips:

 1.   Keep your garbage secure – store it indoors, in a secure shed, or in a bear -resistant enclosure.

2.   Only put your garbage/yard waste/recyclables out on collection day - never the night before. 

3.   Manage your fruit trees so that fruit is picked as it ripens, and no windfall accumulates.  

4.   Bring bird feeders in from April through November – and when they are out, ensure that the ground underneath is kept free of seeds. 

5.   Feed pets indoors. 

6.   Maintain your compost so that it doesn’t smell. Add fruit slowly. Never add meat or dairy. 

7.   Protect fruit trees, beehives and small livestock with properly installed & maintained electric fence. 

8.   Respect wild animals by not feeding them. Food-conditioned wildlife are more likely to come into conflict. 

9.   Keep barbecues clean and odour free. 

10. Report any wildlife in conflict or bear, cougar, coyote or wolf sightings in the community to the Conservation Officer Service 24/7 at 1.877.952.7277.

Please like and follow our Facebook page: WildSafeBC Central Okanagan or contact WildSafeBC Community Coordinator, Meg Bjordal, at okwestside@wildsafebc.com for details on the events or for other local wildlife info.

Be sure to check out the following websites for more information regarding the wildlife in West Kelowna

https://wildsafebc.com/

https://www.westkelownacity.ca/en/our-community/bearsandwildlifespx.aspx