Bears and Wildlife

1. Keep your garbage secure – store it indoors, in a secure shed, or in a bear-resistant enclosure.
2. Only put your garbage/yard waste/recyclables out on collection day - never the night before.
3. Manage your fruit trees so that fruit is picked as it ripens, and no windfall accumulates.
4. Bring bird feeders in from April through November – and when they are out, ensure that the ground underneath is kept free of seeds.
5. Feed pets indoors.
6. Maintain your compost so that it doesn’t smell. Add fruit slowly. Never add meat or dairy.
7. Protect fruit trees, beehives and small livestock with properly installed & maintained electric fence.
8. Respect wild animals by not feeding them. Food-conditioned wildlife are more likely to come into conflict.
9. Keep barbecues clean and odour free.
10. Report any wildlife in conflict immediately to the Conservation Officer Service 24/7 at 1-877-952-7277.

For more information on reducing human-wildlife conflict visit www.wildsafebc.com, follow WildSafeBC Central Okanagan on Facebook, or contact the local WildSafeBC Community Coordinator at centralok@wildsafebc.com.

Find more information from the BC Ministry of Environment on their Staying Safe Around Wildlife page.

• Bats
  
• Black bears
  
• Cougars
  
• Coyotes
  
• Deer and fawns
  
• Grizzly bears
  
• Marmots 
  
• Moose
  
• Racoons
  
• Rats
  
• Rattlesnakes
  
• Skunks
  
• Wolves

Under Section 2.2.3 of the City of West Kelowna’s Solid Waste Management Bylaw 0065, you must only put out garbage, yard waste and recyclables between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the day of collection. You should also be aware that it is an offence under the BC Wildlife Act section 33.1 to attract dangerous animals (bears, wolves, cougars and coyotes) with unsecured attractants.