An early berry season and low salmon totals could mean more bear sightings in Prince George this fall.
Conservation Officer, Sgt. Rory Smith says things have been quiet so far, but that could change very soon.
“We have had very few incidents as a result of a bumper berry crop in the early season but as we progress into the fall activity tends to pick up because the bears are more active trying to put on body fat to hibernate for the winter.”
Smith says bears look for several things to eat when getting ready for the winter.
“Bears will forage on just about anything, they tend to spend the most time where they can get the most bang for their buck, if they can find rotting carcases, getting into garbage, berries provide a lot of energy, as we work later into the season they start to diminish and they start looking for other food sources.”
Residents are asked to clean fruit trees, avoid leaving bird seed and feeders in sight and to secure garbage accordingly.