Don’t leave bears a ‘midnight snack,’ keep trash inside overnight, southwest residents told | 24CA News

The southwest Calgary group of Discovery Ridge is hoping an schooling blitz targeted on dwelling alongside bears will assist to keep away from future bear deaths in that neighbourhood.

Last fall, a feminine black bear and three cubs have been killed by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services after being attracted from the neighbouring wilderness of Griffith Woods Park and the Tsuut’ina Nation, which spans west to Bragg Creek.

The sow and cubs made nighttime visits into residential streets and driveways for weeks, stepping into bins and rubbish, changing into closely meals conditioned and posing a public security threat because of this, finally resulting in their deaths.

The Discovery Ridge Community Association, City of Calgary and Alberta Fish and Wildlife do not need a repeat of that collection of occasions, in order that they’re specializing in how individuals handle their rubbish carts.

The metropolis has positioned giant indicators all around the group urging residents to maintain bears secure by not placing black, blue and inexperienced trash carts out in a single day.

“Anything that bears find attractive will draw them in, and residential garbage has been identified as one of them,” mentioned Erica Baranik, a waste diversion specialist with the town.

“The No. 1 tip is to not put your cart out overnight. Don’t give bears a midnight snack. The second is don’t put them out before 5 a.m. on collection day, and then put the carts away as soon as possible after collection,” mentioned Baranik.

Residents are additionally being requested to retailer their carts inside their garages, or related secured place, after they’re not out for assortment, so bears cannot entry them.

Baranik says metropolis workers have been going door-to-door in the neighborhood answering questions and getting suggestions from residents on their ask.

She says general the suggestions has been constructive and residents need to do their half to stop future bear deaths, even when it means some inconvenience to their routines.

The metropolis says it has been working in partnership with Alberta Fish and Wildlife and the local people affiliation, which first reached out for assist to seek out options final 12 months.

“There are always wildlife encounters throughout the summer months every year, but last year was particularly tragic,” mentioned Jacquie Hansen-Sydenham with the group affiliation’s wildlife committee.

“The community was upset and was very vocal about wanting something done,” she mentioned.

Hansen-Sydenham says a gaggle of residents spent the winter researching to give you some clear options to their bear drawback.

“All of the videos that all of our residents got from their doorbell cams of the bears tossing bins, it was all between 1 and 4 a.m.,” she mentioned. “So the facts substantiated themselves that that is the solution.”

“We’re in education and community mode right now. It’s up to us to present the facts and the solutions and hope that the majority of people do it,” mentioned Hansen-Sydenham.

“We’re asking people to do it because it’s the right thing to do,” she mentioned. “I don’t like my bins in my garage either, but I’ll put them in.”

She says in addition to adjustments in habits, the group can be taking a look at wildlife-proof bins, that are utilized in different elements of Canada the place bears are a difficulty.

She’s hoping the neighbourhood might sooner or later develop into a pilot group to trial bear-proof residential carts in Calgary.

Hansen-Sydenham says she hopes beginning the schooling and consciousness drive early within the season will imply a bear-free summer season, and, hopefully, a bear-free future.