What to do with bears in your yard?

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You may have noticed an increase in bear activity recently. This is likely related to travelling between territories or in search of food while waiting for the summer bounty to arrive, however mothers with cubs will also seek out the safety of human settlements to keep cubs safe from solitary males. Read on for what to do when you encounter a bear in your yard and how to deter them from returning.

If you see a bear in your yard:

- Do not approach or block its escape route - leave a clear exit path

- Don't let your pets outside as they could potentially provoke the bear

- From a safe location, create noise disturbance by loudly yelling, banging pots or pans or using an air horn to frighten the bear and let it know it's not welcome

How to deter bears from your yard:

- Secure or remove any potential food sources such as garbage bins, bird feeders, fruit/ vegetables

- Don't leave pet food or used BBQ grills outside

- Ensure all garbage and compost bins are secured in bear-proof totes and have lid-locks, and only put out on designated days/times for pick up

- Install motion sensor lights

- Trim vegetation to reduce hiding spots and potential travel paths

When do I call the authorities?

If the bear appears injured, unafraid of people or repeatedly returns after removing attractants, contact wildlife authorities for assistance.

Our team works closely with the conservation services to manage human-bear interactions. Give our team a call for humane bear management.

Silver Creek Wildlife acknowledges that its offices are situated on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil Waututh, Katzie and Kwantntlen First Nations.

We continue to build on our strong relationships with our First Nations partners and strive to incorporate traditional knowledge in our practices.