Bears and Wildlife

Tell us your thoughts about bears in West Kelowna

The City of West Kelowna and WildSafeBC want to hear your thoughts about bear interactions in the community.

Your input will be used to better understand community perceptions about bears, including risk concerns and bear-human interactions as the City develops its first Bear Hazard Assessment.

Feedback will remain open until further notice.

Let’s keep wildlife wild and our communities safe

Together, we can manage wildlife attractants around our homes and in our neighbourhoods.
To help prevent wildlife conflicts in the community:

Secure all attractants that may lead to conflict with bears and other wildlife.
Remove bird feeders and store garbage securely.
Wait until the morning of collection day to put out carts.

Report wildlife in conflict or bear, cougar or wolf sightings in your neighbourhood to the Conservation Officer Service 24/7 at 1-877-952-7277. Reports are uploaded daily to wildsafebc.com/warp.

We work in partnership with WildSafeBC to keep our community safe. For tips on specific animal safety, please visit the WildSafeBC website.

Learn more about the Wildlife Alert Reporting Program

Action around the home

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

Awareness and education

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 specific species information

Garbage management regulations

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.