A mother bear and her cubs have been spotted accessing trash in the Garibaldi Estates, prompting authorities to ask people to secure all bear attractants.
On May 27, the Conservation Officer Service told The Squamish Chief that it's important to ensure that the sow and her two yearling cubs do not become dependent on the garbage.
Conservation, along with the District, have issued a wildlife alert, saying that the bear family has been travelling large distances between the Loggers East neighbourhood and the Garibaldi Estates.
The sow may become defensive of her cubs, if approached. That means that dogs should be kept on their leashes.
"I would not advise people to confront the bear and be aggressive towards the bear and put themselves in a risky situation or hazardous situation," said Sgt. Simon Gravel of the Conservation Officer Service. "The best thing that people can really do is to make sure that [the bears] don't find any food in our neighbourhood."
Gravel said that everything that smells around your house should be secured and not accessible for those bears.
"We are hopeful that they can move on and seek more natural habitat and feed from natural food," he continued. "So again, the key here is for the entire community to be on board and secure their garbage."
Totes should be secured inside a garage, and are not to be left out the night before garbage day.
If you have a broken or damaged tote, please contact GFL for a repair or replacement by calling 604.892.5604 or emailing [email protected].
Report a Wildlife Attractant Bylaw infraction: 604-815-5067.
Report wildlife sightings to the Conservation Officer Service 24/7 hotline: 1-877-952-7277.
