The owner of the Smithers wildlife shelter is calling on municipalities to do better when it comes to wildlife management.
Angelika Langen of the Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers said leaving out attractants creates situations with deadly consequences for wildlife. She said at this time of year, there are plenty of natural foods for birds and they do not need to be provided with seed.
She used the example of a recent case of a mama bear who seized the opportunity of easy access to food sources such as bird feeders and garbage. Langen explained she became protective of those resources, deemed a dangerous bear and was killed to protect the public that created the problem.
"The mournful cries of two orphaned cubs are the first thing we hear as we approach the facility," she said. "Our hearts break at their sorrow and the visual of their dejected posture only further fuels our compassion towards these young bears.
"Worst of all is the fact that they shouldn’t be here at all. It was not an accident that stole their mother and a carefree youth from them, but people. People that can’t be bothered to coexist with bears and follow some very simple guidelines to keep themselves and the bears safe.
These cubs came from Stewart, a town that has no problem advertising the incredible wildlife on their tourism pages yet fails that same wildlife miserably by not enforcing strict rules with all who live there."
Langen went on to say that Stewart is not alone.
"Many towns and cities in B.C. fail terribly at including wildlife in their planning and regulations. This is not a wildlife management issue, this is a waste and attractants issue, and districts, regions and municipalities need to step up."
While there are fines associated with leaving out attractants, Langen said they don't come close to covering the costs of repairing the damage.
Langen added communities need to be proactive instead of reactive, with appropriate systems in place to manage attractants before they become a problem. This could include a plan to manage fruit-bearing trees in places like Smithers, so as not to lure bears into town with ripe fruit. She said Smithers needs to also change its bylaw to put out garbage in the morning of pick-up instead of the evening before.
Individuals can do more too, said Langen.
"Pick your fruit before bears find it, take care of yard waste, only put out garbage in the morning of pick-up, and speak out on municipal policies regarding waste and attractants management or the lack of."
This spring, the society released a record number of rescued bears back into the wild, and Langen said they are on track this year to do the same... a trend she is hoping stops soon.
