Conservation officer Eamon McArthur reminding people not to leave attractants out in their yards
To say B.C. conservation officer Eamon McArthur and his co-workers were run off their feet last summer dealing with bears in the city would be a huge understatement.The majority of those calls came during July, August and September when the city was overrun with black bears wandering in from the surrounding forests looking for food to fatten up for winter hibernation.
McArthur joined RCMP Spt. Shaun Wright and Insp. Darin Rappel at Monday’s city council meeting for a report on what happened in 2023 . Police assisted conservation officers on multiple close encounters between bears and humans and were on the scene when some of the 73 bears were euthanized. Wright said the police usually get about dozen bear-related calls each year. Last year it was well over 100.
“We don’t have the staff,” said McArthur. “Some of the officers were brand-new and they got thrown into this maelstrom of bear calls. We can call on assistance from other officers in Vanderhoof and Burns Lake, who did help us instrumentally. In his presentation to city council at Monday’s city council meeting, McArthur stressed that homeowners have to do a better job at limiting the attractants that bring bears to their yards. Fruit trees, whether the fruit is edible or ornamental, are still a big concern, as are unsecured garbage bins.
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