PLEASE Pay Attention to your Garbage / Compost!!

I am reposting this as there was more than one or two sightings of bears in garbage bins along Rossland roads last week...and I personally saw one in someone's compost pile that seemed to have fresh veggie leftovers tossed onto it....The pic below is from last garbage day on one of our streets...there was obviously something delicious this bear found to eat in this person's garbage, and someone told me one of their neighbour's dogs was seen chewing on a thrown out chicken carcass in their neighbour's trash on the very same garbage day.....and the bear was seen circling back later that day, to where the carcass was last seen as the ripped up bag had still not been cleaned up.....SO, how many bears are we Rossland residents going to be responsible for getting killed this year because of our own negligence and lack of forethought/interest/compassion/ about where we live??

As happens every year (we do live in wildlife country after all...), we are now seeing bears, cubs of various ages, or mama bears with cubs wandering through various routes in Rossland, as well as coyotes and possibly other wildlife that can cause a problem if we don't behave and do our part. A problem bear usually ends up being a dead bear through no fault of their own, other than by responding to cues (food smells) that WE leave them out of ignorance or neglect.

PLEASE DO NOT put or keep attractants where bears, raccoons, and other wildlife can access them, and then possibly make a habit of returning to that source, and perhaps destroying your possessions / car interior / doors / windows etc. (typically they are after an easy meal: food, and containers with food or that have had food in them and not been cleaned, compost, even crumbs from what kids have left in the back seat or in the porch can be a target...chip bag? ice cream wrapper? they all carry smells bears will seek out).

Until we get into hibernation season later this year, a good bet is to LOCK your vehicle doors when leaving it parked anywhere (bears are great at getting into unlocked vehicles, google it if you don't believe me); LOCK your ground accessible windows unless you are home and enjoying the breeze coming in that window, LOCK your house doors (even when at home is a good idea; some people in various places have been surprised by furry non-human intruders), and DO NOT leave fresh or cooked items, be they meat, poultry, baking, etc. etc. by any open window or door in your residence as they WILL attract any bear wandering by and looking for a quick meal. Sheds and garages should also be kept locked when not directly using them; inquisitive bears are known to give them a look for anything that might be tasty.

Unfortunately both bears and coyotes (and bobcats, the odd one has been seen around the area) are known to be opportunists and will grab backyard chickens, a wandering pet cat, and even a small dog for an easy meal, if given a chance and one crosses their path when they're hungry. If we want to live in this great wild and wonderful area called the Kootenays, then WE are the ones that need to adjust our behaviour so that we can all cohabitate with the wildlife and enjoy nature without having to fear it, or call the conservation officer and have it killed because of our own oversight.

Aside from a having a fantastic ski hill and numerous outdoor recreational year round activities, it would be great to be able to boast that this area is well known for it's wildlife awareness and (especially where bears are concerned) the cooperation of it's residents in ensuring that the local wildlife is given it's due care and attention when it comes to keeping it safe and away from having it killed because it's "a nuisance".

It's not the case of having a bear problem, a coyote problem, or a wildlife problem....it's a people problem....if people do the right thing, the problem goes away (and a bear or coyote merely wandering down the street,  past your house, over your lawn, around your neighbourhood etc., IS NOT a problem....we live on a mountain in the middle of the woods...it's THEIR home also). Let's do the right thing this year and let's not any one of us be responsible for one more or two more or three more bears being shot and killed because we could care less/couldn't be bothered, or out of just plain human arrogance.

If you love and care about where we live, then please lets all work together and make it better for all that enjoy it and live here with us.

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