With two bear sightings reported in the Sundre area over the past week, residents and visitors are being reminded of the dangers of bear and cougar encounters and how to avoid them.Bears, cougars and other wildlife use the valley bottoms and river corridors to move, feed, and sustain their populations.Since the same habitat is also coveted by humans, this creates a potential for conflict. You can do your part to ensure humans and wildlife can coexist. With a few changes around your home, you can minimize the possibility of conflict with wildlife.Be Bear Smart - Remove or secure the attractants in your yard such as garbage, pet food, bird feeders, and compost piles. On agricultural lands, be aware that livestock carcasses, green feed crops, and grain storage can attract bears.Do not plant trees, shrubs or plants that produce fruit or berries. If you already have such plants, pick fruit and berries as soon as they ripen so as to not draw the bears into your yard.Be Cougar Smart - Be aware of your surroundings especially at dawn and dusk and near the edges of bushy and forested areas.Be aware that feeding or otherwise attracting deer into your yard could draw in cougars.Cougars may perceive small children and pets as prey.Always be aware of your surroundings, make enough noise that wildlife will hear you coming, and give all wildlife plenty of space to move away from you. Always use caution by paying attention to signs of bear activity such as scats, tracks, and digging.A black bear and cub were spotted along the Bearberry Creek west of Sundre on Oct. 14, and a black bear overturned a garbage can and destroyed a birdfeeder in Sundre on Oct. 12.- Mountain View BearSmart Society
