The Conservation Officer Service (COS) is urging the public to keep its distance from a sow and cubs that are “on the move” throughout Whistler.
Sgt. Simon Gravel said the agency has received several reports of the sow bluff-charging people and running into off-leash dogs on the Valley Trail.
“It’s to be expected that a sow will be very defensive,” he noted. “Our message is when you’re using the trail, to be very aware of your surroundings, and never approach bears. Keep your distance and if you are for some reason surprised, stay calm, talk in a loud voice and move away from the area.”
Gravel added that the sow and what are believed to be cubs of the year have been “on the move” throughout Whistler, and could be seeking shelter in residential neighbourhoods from adult male bears.
“Mature males are threats to those bear cubs so the sow will be a lot on the move and very defensive,” he explained. “We can put signs all over the place, but ultimately those bears can be in many locations, and it’s very difficult to advertise their presence all over the valley.”
Gravel advised Whistlerites to carry bear spray when on the trails, and to always keep your dogs on leash. He noted there are no plans to relocate the bears at this point.
“It’s OK for now, but we are monitoring and things can escalate if people keep approaching them and dogs are still charging them. Those are all factors that can contribute to the situation escalating and the sow to be more and more proactive to protect her cubs,” he said.
There was another recent report of a close encounter with a bear—this time what is believed to be a young grizzly on a forest service road near Owl Creek in Pemberton. A hiker posted to Facebook saying that the he fired a “warning shot” of bear spray, spoke loudly and calmly, and backed away without issue.
Gravel said the grizzly didn’t appear to show any unusual behaviour, and explained that bears will often stand on their hind legs, not as a threat, but to better scope out the situation.
“In most cases, it’s just the bear trying to assess further what’s ahead of him, trying to smell better, to just assess,” he said. “It’s not an aggressive or predatory behaviour in most cases.”
It’s been a relatively quiet bear season for Whistler and Pemberton so far, with no relocations or bears destroyed by the COS. There were reports from late last year of a bear accessing around 20 vehicles, with the first incident happening in Rainbow on Nov. 26. Eventually, however, the behaviour subsided, which Gravel credited to education efforts and a collective effort from the community.
“The community took ownership of this problem and it stopped. So that’s a good success story, when we can all come together to find solutions and implement them,” he said.
With a heat-wave in the forecast this week for Whistler, Gravel asked residents to remember to keep close watch on any open doors or windows that bears could access.
“Young sub-adult bears that hang out around town in Whistler, they could be opportunistic, so it is a good reminder to monitor the entry of your house,” he said. “Often with those bears, it’s not a big step for them to enter an open door or an open window.”
