The squirrel Cove Bear
Animals

Update on the Squirrel Cove Bear

Last November, a black bear started raiding the fruit trees, garbage cans and compost piles in homes backing onto Basil Creek, on Cortes Island. In response to a complaint, the Conservation Officer Service brought a trap over to the island. If they had caught the bear, it would have been put down – but the Squirrel Cove Bear escaped.  

Photo credit: Bear by Chris Grier via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Putting the bear down

As Autumn Barrett-Morgan, a volunteer co-ordinator with the Friends of Cortes Island’s wildlife COEXistence program, explained last December, “The Conservation Officer was called by someone in Squirrel Cove. This resident was feeling very fearful of the bear breaking into their home, so the Conservation Officer had no choice but to bring a trap here. Once the bear is trapped, it will be put down.”

Only, it turns out they did not catch the bear. 

Yesterday, Conservation Officer Chris Hamlyn confirmed all of this, adding that it was last year. If the Conservation Officer service does not receive any fresh complaints, they will not return. Hamlyn says whether the bear lives, or not, is up to the people of Cortes Island. 

Graham Blake’s Trail Cam video: Sep 8, 2020 (See more videos)

This did not have to happen

When it seemed that the bear was about to be killed, I asked Barrett-Morgan if the human/bear conflict was inevitable?  

She replied, “No, this definitely did not have to happen, and could have been avoided. We need to be responsible and secure all attractants.”

“There is an abundance of year-round wild foods for bears on Cortes. There are roots and shoots in the Spring: like horse tails, skunk cabbage, sedges, grasses, nettles, dandelions and late spring salmon berries. Summer brings shrubs, grubs, insects and blackberries. Salmon runs are the #1 food source in the Fall along with green material in the estuaries. Year round, bears can eat in the intertidal zone feasting on barnacles, muscles, clams and crabs etc.

“They have year-round food sources here, that is why Cortes is and always has been black bear country,” said Barrett-Morgan.  

Bears follow their noses

Bears follow their noses when searching for food and unfortunately this is what brought the bear into the Squirrel Cove residential area. It followed its nose to all the food waiting in the habitations backing onto Basil Creek.   

“Once it was rewarded with apples, compost, bird feeders, fish fertilizer, etc. there became a conflict. The bear will keep returning to a spot where it knows it can get food. Bears are just trying to meet their caloric value, again of 20,000 calories, each day. On properties where the attractants were immediately secured, the bear did not return.” 

Squirrel Cove Bear Map
The Squirrel Cove Bears activities Nov/Dec 2020 – Roy L Hales

FOCI’s track record with wolves

The Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) believe it is possible to coexist with predators, and they already have a proven track record with wolves.     

“Many years ago, folks on the island had conflicts with wolves and lost pets to them. Again, it was an unawareness of the presence of wolves and how to co-exist with these creatures,” said Barrett-Morgan.

“These conflicts informed us on how to move forward and coexist with wolves. Eleven years later, we’ve reduced conflict so much that I personally have not heard of any in many years.”

FOCI drew up a five-point primer on how to live with wolves.

“It changes our perception of wolves too … When we have conflicts it can be very overwhelming and frightening. As we’ve learned about wolves, their behaviour, and how to behave around wolves, we have learned how to coexist and live with wolves. It becomes more of a respectful relationship, respecting their space and wolves respecting residential spaces. I feel confident that we can learn this with bears as well.”

The Bear Primer

Proactively, prior to the human/bear conflicts, Friends of Cortes Island drew up a five-point bear primer this May, which is very similar to their existing primer for wolves. 

“The Bear Primer was written and posted in May 2020… and it was edited by the senior provincial biologist and also endorsed by the Conservation Office Service. You can find the Bear Primer on the FOCI website: friendsofcortes.org. These are protocols that have been adopted by residents across the province because after all, we all live in bear country, and it is our responsibility to learn to coexist with wildlife” said Barrett-Morgan.

Black Bear swimming by Eric Kilby via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

This is Black Bear country

“This is black bear country. It has always been black bear country. Northern Cortes Island is likely where most of the bears live. Black bears can travel very far in one day and they are good swimmers. They do travel from island to island and there are likely year-round bears here,” said Barret-Morgan.

Top photo credit: The Squirrel Cove Bear as seen in Graham Blake’s Trail Cam video: Sep 8, 2020

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