Conservation officers are cracking down on Nanaimo residents who leave garbage cans on the street the night before pickup, citing a ten year old law. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

BEAR NECESSITIES

Nanaimo conservation officers making life no picnic for bear attracters

Sep 19, 2020 | 11:00 AM

NANAIMO — Local conservation officers are cracking down on people who potentially attract wildlife by putting out garbage the night before pickup.

During a two hour tour of rural Nanaimo neighbourhoods on Wednesday, Sep. 16, conservation officers handed out seven fines of $230.

Sgt. Stuart Bates told NanaimoNewsNOW garbage must be safely secured at all times.

“The bears are much more comfortable accessing garbage on the street. There’s lower risk to them so they’re much more likely to get into it the first time but once they realize what’s in there, you’ll have a hard time keeping them out of it.”

Once a bear become accustomed to garbage as a food source, versus fruits or other natural food supplies, it starts a downward spiral for the animal.

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“The saying is a fed bear is a dead bear,” Bates said. “Once a bear becomes human habituated, so it’s lost its fear of people and its eating non-natural foods, there’s usually only one outcome for the bear and it’s not a good one.”

Officers are regularly on the lookout through Nanaimo for human-bear interactions.

A vast majority occur west of Hwy. 19, south in the Cinnabar region and north towards Lantzville.

Bates said there have been fewer bear interactions so far this year, but can’t say whether it’s a new trend or a one-off situation.

The $230 ticket for failure to secure garbage can escalate all the way to court if necessary.

Conservation officers can also deliver a dangerous wildlife protection order which is typically used in commercial operations.

Failure to comply with an officer’s order is a $575 fine.

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