New Whistler bear alert feature launched
Posted July 15, 2017 9:54 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WHISTLER (NEWS 1130) – A new feature to report bears is being rolled out at Whistler. The municipality wants to keep track of bears in near-real time, to hopefully cut down on nasty human-bear conflict.
“This allows us to post a notice on our municipal website and through our municipal social media,” says Heather Beresford, an Environmental Stewardship Manager in Whistler.
“It gives information on location and what people can do to secure all their attractants.”
The new feature provides chronological updates on bear activity, time-sensitive recommendations for locals and visitors to avoid human-bear conflict, and the response of the Provincial Conservation Officer Service and other partners.
The idea is that if you see a bear, you go to the municipal website and report where it was and where you saw it.
Beresford says human-bear interactions aren’t on the rise.
“It’s just an ongoing issue and Whistler as a community and our local government were very committed to reducing human-bear conflict.”
She says it’s the city’s hope that people will be extra responsible about how their actions can bring bears into the town.
“Like garbage recycling, dirty barbecues, so the bear can’t get into anything and it keeps people and bears safe.”
She says long-term carelessness drives bears into city areas, leads to conflict, and eventually the death of a bear.
