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POSTED: Oct. 10, 2008

Carelessness leads to bear's demise

by Lailani Mendoza

Friday, Oct. 10, 2008

The black bear was young--two or three-years-old depending on how much food it was able to find, said Kamloops Conservation Officer Kent Popjes.

And it had to find food. Black bears need to gain at least 40 pounds of fat a week in order to survive six long hibernation months. It's not an option, but a necessity and a goal that every bear instinctively needs to fulfill before winter approaches.

The bear was lying on its side and looked as if it were sleeping.

But there's a telltale smear of blood on its mouth and a vacant stare in its eyes that suggested otherwise.

Like the other black bears that have turned into garbage bears, it's become habituated to humans, a learned behaviour that would contribute to its demise.

Popjes was at the Sun Peaks Transfer Station hoping to trap another black bear, weighing at least 300 pounds, who's been meandering the streets at night. While at the station Popjes witnessed a woman dropping off two garbage bags in front of the gate although the transfer station was closed.

"I had a little chat with her, and she took her garbage back with her," said Popjes.

"Ten minutes after she dropped her garbage off, a bear showed up. It would have ripped into those bags. Basically this bear is ruined. The bear was a full garbage bear and had been out here eating garbage and being a threat to people because it wasn't afraid of people. It's just the first stage of a potentially dangerous situation."

The bear had been frequenting the site in the past few weeks, dragging garbage bags up to its den. The garbage that lined the side of the mountain on a well-worn trail that the animal had used many times before attested to the fact.

"I think people know what to do," said Popjes, "they just need to do it. Basically this transfer station has been closed because people haven't been putting the locks on. We closed them because . . . the bear would get into them. They're very capable of opening latches and doors."

So the conservation officer had to do his job--destroy the bear. Until the public learns, garbage will continue to claim bears' lives in Sun Peaks, Kamloops, Whistler and everywhere else where bears thrive.

The Sun Peaks Transfer Station is open from noon to 6 p.m. (except Wednesdays and Fridays) until Oct. 31 with all receptacles being locked during off hours.

Residents and visitors must not leave any garbage outside the bins or at the gate at the transfer station when it's closed as this will provide food for the bears and will ultimately lead to their destruction.

Adam Earle's Note from the Publisher: It's not my fault