Keep garbage out of your yard to keep the bears away
Posted September 26, 2014 10:55 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
METRO VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The number of bear sightings seems to be up in many neighbourhoods across Metro Vancouver — and that’s no surprise, given the time of year.
An expert says there’s one key thing to remember when trying to keep the animals from making a stop on your property.
Tony Webb with the North Shore Black Bear Network says a bear is basically a nose on four legs and as they prepare for winter by eating as many calories as possible every day, they will go after anything smelly.
“[There’s] nothing wrong with a bear walking down the road. What we don’t want the bear to do is be attracted by food.”
He says the most important step is to keep garbage inside — put it in the freezer, if possible — until collection day. And don’t think just locking garbage in shed will keep a bear away.
“If you put in a garage or something like that, they’ll just break the door down, if it’s smelly. Don’t underestimate the strength of a bear. The rule is: No smells, no bears,” says Webb.
He also suggests you take down bird feeders and clean barbecues.
