Marvelous-Canada: December 2024

Staying at a friend’s house in November on Vancouver Island, Canada, I experienced not only a bomb cyclone with extreme winds and 23 hours of power outage but also three bear break-ins! Not into the house but the garage where two huge fridges are placed.

A sign I saw in another Sooke neighborhood explicitly discouraged having fridges outside the house. The garage door was not safely secured and a wooden pallet leaning against one of the fridges was not an obstacle for the bear. The bear ripped it open and took out all the fruit yogurt, cream cups, and cakes, and indulged in it, making a terrible mess everywhere.

My friends secured the garage door somewhat, but not enough that the bear could not break in a second time two days later.

This time he completely ripped out the freezer door but left the meat untouched. The remaining food in the fridge was secured with several heavy garden tools. As if this would not be enough, at the bear's third visit he managed to break the secured door

of the fridge.

Once a bear finds a food source in a neighborhood, they will revisit that same location over and over again.

Talking with quite a few people besides my friends, I learned that fall is the time where bears are start eating and drinking almost nonstop. They can gain up to four pounds in a day. They need to put on weight to prepare for winter and hibernation. I also found out that it is unfair to the bears not to secure food sources - even illegal in some areas. Potential bear food sources such as bird feeders, pet food, dirty BBQ grills, open compost, or trash and REMOVE those food sources IMMEDIATELY.

Why? The bears do not hunt anymore, for example, catching salmon fish in the rivers and sea bays. Or eat berries and insects. Easily finding food around human developments makes them lazy and they forget all their hunting skills. This is not the only danger for the animals: If they are attracted to human-associated food sources, they may be more vulnerable to being hit by a car and may lose their fear of people. In the worst case, if a bear behaves in a way that is a threat to public safety it might be even euthanized.

Bears on Vancouver Island, Canada

There are an estimated 7,000–12,000 black bears on Vancouver Island, making it one of the densest populations in the world. In British Columbia, black bears inhabit all areas of the province except cities. They are relatively numerous and tolerant of human activities and as a result, are the most commonly encountered large carnivores in the province.

Cubs are born in January or February, during hibernation. Black bears usually have two cubs, but litter sizes vary from one to five. Cubs stay with their mother their entire first year and sometimes longer. During that time, she protects them and teaches them how to survive.

Hibernation is an important survival strategy for bears in regions such as British Columbia where their main foods – green vegetation, berries, salmon, and insects – are not available in winter. Black bears typically hibernate for three to five months on the south coast and for longer periods (probably five to seven months) in the interior and the north. Females, particularly the pregnant ones, hibernate longer than males.

While a bear is unlikely to attack, there are tons on Vancouver Island, and it is quite likely you will encounter one during your time, whether it’s crossing the street, cruising a yard, or wandering on a trail. If you are bear-smart (by following the tips below and similar others), you won’t have an issue with these beautiful beasts. If you do run into one though, here’s what to do: