Get Bear Smart
Whistler is located in prime black bear habitat, so whether you're hiking in the Interpretive Forest or strolling through the Village, you may encounter a black bear. Seeing a bear can be a memorable experience of your Whistler vacation, but to protect yourself and keep bears wild, it is important to understand how to behave around them. This requires an understanding of bears and their behaviour as well as the role people play in creating conflicts.
So called “problem” bears are not born - they are the product of human indifference and carelessness. Human food and garbage are very attractive to bears because they are often high in calories and easy to access. A bag full of food garbage is like a buffet laid out for a bear compared to the work of having to pick berries off a bush or catch a salmon. The problem is that conflicts can arise when bears learn to associate people with garbage and other non-natural sources of food. Once a bear has tasted human food, he is likely to return again and again for an easy meal. As bears are repeatedly rewarded with food, they tend to lose their wariness of humans and become willing to go to greater and greater lengths to get that food. In Whistler, bears have been known to break into cars and homes to get food. Sadly, many of these bears end up being killed.
There are many actions you can take to protect bears:
• Never feed a bear, either intentionally or unintentionally. All garbage must be disposed of in bearproof containers. In Whistler, it’s the law! Bear-proof containers are located throughout the village, municipal parks and the valley trail.
• Respect bears! Give them plenty of space and never approach them. No one should ever feed, pet or pose for a photo with a bear. Take pictures with a telephoto lens from a distance.
• Be careful when driving in and around Whistler. Unfortunately, many bears are hit and injured or killed on roads.
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Whistler is home to about to about 50-80 black bears. While grizzlies do not reside in the municipality, they may pass through from time to time.
• A bear has a keen sense of smell – 70 times better than a blood hound’s.
• A bear’s hearing ability is excellent, and like dogs, bears hear high pitches, exceeding human frequency range and sensitivity.
• Bears see in colour and have good vision, similar to humans.
• Bears are fast; they can run more than 60 kilometres an hour (37 mph) – that’s twice as fast as an Olympic sprinter. In fact, a bear can outrun a race horse over short distances, but has little endurance. To put their speed in perspective, bears can run 15 meters per second (50 feet per second).
• Bears are very strong and powerful animals. They have been known to bend open car doors and pry open windshields in their search for food.
• Bears are highly evolved social animals with intelligence comparable to that of the great apes or a three year old child. Bears often share friendship, resources and security. They form hierarchies and have structured kinship relationships.
• Bears are not as unpredictable and dangerous as Hollywood or the media would have us believe. Bears exhibit very predictable behaviour. This trait can be beneficial to people who come into contact with bears.
• Bears communicate using body language, sounds and smells. Bears treat humans just as they would other bears; the problem is that bears are very physical with each other, with the intentional use of bites, swats or body posturing. -
Although watching a bear feed in your yard can be an exhilarating experience, it almost always leads to trouble at a future date. Making sure your home and yard are bear-proof is an essential part of making Whistler safe for both bears and people. Here’s how:
1. Don’t stockpile garbage and recycling in large quantities. Yes, recycling attracts bears – that means empty beer bottles/cans. Store garbage/recycling indoors; or outdoors in bear-proof containers. If you don’t have a vehicle, get a friend or neighbour to help you get it to the Nesters or FJ disposal sites. There are also several services available that will pick up your waste and dispose of it properly.
2. Bears can and will climb through open windows and doors. Consider keeping them closed and locked during bear season, especially if you know there is a bear in the area.
3. Keep your home bear-attractant free. Don’t attract bears to your property with garbage, bird feeders, fruit trees and berry bushes, gardens, compost, dirty barbecues (grease cans or drip trays) or pet food.
4. Use specially designed bear deterrents– remotely triggered noisemakers and sprinklers or unwelcome electric door mats – to discourage bears from entering your property, especially while you are away for extended periods.
5. If you encounter a black bear in an urban Whistler space, remain calm. Give the bear plenty of space and an easy escape route. Make lots of noise to encourage them to leave. Call 604-905-BEAR (2327) to report your bear sighting.
6. Keep the whole neighbourhood safe by encouraging your neighbours to follow BearSmart practices, too. -
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SEE A BLACK BEAR?
• Stop and assess the situation.
• Remain calm. Do not approach the bear. In most cases, the bear will flee.
• If the bear is still a distance away, maintain a respectful distance and detour around the bear.
• If you encounter a bear on the roadside, do not get out of your vehicle, not even for a quick photo.
IF YOU SUDDENLY ENCOUNTER A BLACK BEAR AT CLOSE RANGE:
• Stand your ground and face the bear.
• Identify yourself as human by talking in a calm tone of voice.
• Back away slowly.
IF A BLACK BEAR APPROACHES:
• Don't panic! Keep your wits about you. Your brain is your best defense in bear country.
• If you meet a black bear in the woods, or in his territory, talk in a calm and respectful tone of voice to let the bear know you are not threatening (particularly if the bear is defending cubs or a valuable food cache). If you encounter a black bear in an urban area or in human territory, use a loud, firm voice as though you are speaking to a dog that's misbehaving. Say “No!” Repeat as necessary. Remove sunglasses and make direct eye contact with the black bear.
• Sometimes a bear may try to motivate you to leave, through intimidation. He may “pop” his jaws or swat the ground while blowing or snorting. He may lunge toward you or “bluff” charge – run toward you and then suddenly stop and turn away. Although scary, you are not likely to be hurt. For your own safety, it may be best to stand your ground until the bear turns away and then retreat.
• You can carry bear spray as a precaution and use it if any bear is persistent in approaching you or attacks.
• If a black bear attacks you offensively making full physical contact, fight back with any weapon you can find, including rocks and branches. Do NOT play dead. -
Here’s how you can make your backcountry (bear) experiences positive and conflict free:
1. Be prepared! Learn how and why bears behave and know how to react to an encounter or attack. If you’re recreating in the backcountry, ensure you can tell the difference between a black and a grizzly bear.
2. Before setting out, check with the appropriate authorities (provincial wildlife officer, park warden, etc.) to see if there has been any bear activity along your route. Obey all trail closures and information signs. If there are bears in the area, consider choosing a different route.
3. Always, always carry bear pepper spray– and know how to use it – in the backcountry.
4. Stay alert and watch for bears and bear signs. Tracks, trampled vegetation or scat are all signs that bears may be nearby. Be especially alert where bear foods are abundant.
5. Make lots of noise. If a bear hears you coming, he will usually avoid you. Warn bears of your presence by talking calmly and loudly or singing, especially in dense bush where visibility may be limited or around rivers or streams where bears have trouble hearing you coming. Your voice will help identify you as human and non-threatening.
6. Travel in a group during daylight hours. Especially in the backcountry. There is no record of a bear attacking a larger group of people.
7. Avoid animal carcasses. Make a wide detour if you smell or see signs of a dead animal (e.g. ravens circling). Black and grizzly bears can kill large animals for food, and they are attracted to carcasses that have been killed by other causes. Leave the area if possible.
8. Keep dogs on a leash and under control. Dogs may be helpful in detecting bears, but they may also agitate them and create a conflict situation – sometimes returning to their humans with the bear in pursuit.
9. Keep your distance. Never approach bears. If a bear (or any animal) approaches, back away in order to maintain a safe distance. Use binoculars, spotting scopes and telephoto lenses to view and photograph wild animals up close.
10. Secure all potential bear attractants – food and waste or anything that smells nice. Never feed a bear, either intentionally or unintentionally, by being careless with your garbage or food scraps. Always store your food and garbage in a bear-proof container or hang it in a tree. Secure your backcountry campsite with a light-weight, portable electric fence. -
Bears are far more likely to enhance your wilderness experience than spoil it! Knowing how to interpret their behaviour and act responsibly is part of the thrill of sharing forests and mountains with these amazing animals.
• Your goal is to avoid surprising a bear. Make your presence known by talking, singing songs, or calling out every once in a while.
• Stay alert. Look ahead on the trail and keep children nearby. Hike during daylight hours.
• Watch for signs of recent bear activity: droppings, tracks, overturned rocks, broken up rotted logs, fresh claw marks on trees, plant root diggings, and fur on tree trunks.
• Be especially alert and make lots of noise when travelling through dense brush, into the wind, near rushing water, or food sources such as berry bushes. Limited vision or hearing may lead to a surprise encounter.
• If you smell or see signs indicating an animal carcass such as ravens circling overhead, leave the area immediately.
• Travelling on fast moving mountain bikes can lead to a surprise encounter. Be alert!
• Keep all dogs on leash and under control. Dogs can be helpful in detecting bears, but they may also aggravate bears or lead them back to you.
• Hiking in groups on established trails is recommended, particularly in areas outside of town where grizzlies may be present. -
When camping in the backcountry, select an appropriate site away from wildlife trails, waterways (such as streams and creeks) and feeding areas, including ripe berry bushes. Do not camp anywhere bear sign is noticed. Use a flashlight at night.
Pack out all garbage, even organic food scraps. Never bury food. Bears have an excellent sense of smell and will find buried food and dig it up - making you responsible for creating conflicts for other hikers and campers. If you burn food scraps or garbage, be sure to pack out unburned portions.
Reduce the odours that attract bears. Use bear resistant food containers. Cook 100 m away from your tent and do not sleep in the same clothes you wore while cooking. Never take food or toiletries into your tent - even smelly cosmetics and citronella can attract bears. In public campgrounds, store food in the animal-proof containers. If none are available, cache food 100 m away from your tent by suspending it between 2 trees a minimum of 4 m above the ground and 1 m away from the tree trunk. Tents and coolers are NOT bear-proof. -
Black bears are generally timid creatures that are tolerant of humans and human activity. If, however, a bear appears to be a threat to human safety or is destroying property, call 604-905-BEAR (2327).
Visit the Bear Smart website for more information.