City of Nelson, WildSafeBC collaborate on reducing human-wildlife encounters

By Nelson Daily Staff

The City of Nelson has decided to hitch its wagon to provincially recognized WildSafeBC to reduce encounters between humans and wildlife — including bears, skunks and raccoons — within the city limits.

In a media release Tuesday, the city said it is working with WildSafeBC to launch an enhanced educational and support program to help reduce human-wildlife conflicts in the City. 

Council decided to work with WildSafeBC to better meet the immediate priorities as identified by the experts. 

“The biggest area of concern that was raised by WildSafeBC representatives is bear encounters," the release said.

“With the poor berry crop in 2016, WildSafeBC shared that there have been more bear encounters and more bears resident in the City than in the past."

The city said WildSafeBC identified Gyro Park as a particular area of concern and urged the replacement of all open garbage bins to bear resistant bins as an important first step.

“Too many bears and other wildlife are becoming food-conditioned to garbage and the City and the community needs to do a much better job of managing attractants,” the release said.

During this meeting, WildSafeBC representatives identified that the steps needed to reduce bear encounters are the same steps that will be effective in managing other human-wildlife encounters including skunks and raccoons.  

Council had previously asked staff to review the effectiveness and appropriateness of the City’s current skunk trapping program.  Although approximately 100 skunks are trapped a year, it did not appear the $15,000 annual trapping program was totally effective.  

The release said city staff completed a review of how other communities were managing their skunk and raccoon populations and determined that the preferred control option was education and prevention. The City of Nelson was the only community who was utilizing a trapping program. 

According the BCSPCA ,“Trapping is inhumane, ineffective and is only a temporary-fix”.

The release said research and the information from WildSafeBC pointed to the same strategy, better manage attractants. 

“Based on this, Council has chosen to discontinue the skunk and raccoon trapping program for 2017,” the release said.

“In lieu of the trapping program, the City, in partnership with WildSafeBC, will provide education and support on how to reduce wildlife encounters and to provide information and tips on how to prevent wildlife . . .  from taking up residence in our yards, porches, sheds etc.”

The release said council will direct the funding from the trapping program to installing bear resistant bins and the human-wildlife education and support program. 

“I was impressed with the information that was provided by WildSafeBC representatives and I agree that we can do a better job of managing our wildlife attractants,” Nelson Mayor Deb Kozak said.

“None of us want to see bears or even skunks destroyed, especially if the reason is we are not doing our part.” 

WildSafeBC is a program designed, owned and delivered by the BC Conservation Foundation.  It is delivered throughout the province and exists in communities, such as Nelson, where partnerships have been established between local funding bodies and the provincial government as the primary funder.

“I’m encouraged that Council is going to move quickly on installing bear resistant bins in Gyro Park and I’m excited to work closely with the community on how we reduce human-wildlife conflicts,” said Dave White, the WildSafeBC Coordinator in Nelson.

“I’m confident, if we work hard on this, that we will meet our goal of ‘keeping wildlife wild, and communities safe’.”

From now until October, the City will monitor skunk and bear conflicts within the City limits. Residents and businesses can visit the WildsafeBC website at https://wildsafebc.com for information on preventing wildlife encounters.  Please report any skunk dens or wild animal activity within the City of Nelson, such as bears, cougars, skunks and raccoons to publicworks@nelson.ca or call (250) 352-8238.  

Based on the results of the reporting that is received and in consultation with WildsafeBC, Council will determine whether a trapping program will be re-instituted.