From apples to chokecherries, the city’s backyard harvest of non-native fruits is proving irresistible to animals as they prepare for winter hibernation after a poor berry season in the countryside. Rocky Mountain City residents are reminded to remove any fruit from their property to ensure bears are not attracted to local yards, parks and green spaces. “The continued presence of bears in the town of Jasper, often in residential yards, meters away from people, is an unacceptable safety risk to visitors and residents,” says a warning issued by Parks Canada this week. “Bears that live in constant proximity to people and housing have an increased likelihood of gaining access to human food or garbage and to accidental aggressive natural encounters.” Park staff have been called upon to respond to a number of close encounters in recent weeks. A family of bears that were repeatedly caught feasting in backyards were trapped and transported on September 9. They were driven out of the city in hopes of finding wilder food. The mother and two babies were released into a remote area of the park along the Icefields Parkway and were spotted eating native buffalo berries soon after, Parks Canada said. At least seven other black bears have been dragged into the city.
“Reluctant to leave”
Parks Canada said wildlife conflict specialists harass the bears with noise and non-lethal munitions such as paintballs and chalk, but it is proving difficult to make the bears wary. Once they’ve tasted the backyard fruit, they’ll likely stay for a second helping. “Bears in the city are extremely reluctant to leave, as fruit trees provide high food for bears preparing to hibernate. “When they move a short distance from the city, they tend to come back almost immediately.” Parks Canada is urging residents to remove fruit trees from private land as bears continue to enter Jasper in search of food. (Joe Urry) While some animals have been captured, trapping poses a risk to the animals, Parks Canada said. It’s stressful, especially for the cubs, and the bears relocated from Jasper City face new risks associated with being released into unfamiliar habitat that may already be occupied by other bears. If these food sources are not removed, Jasper’s bear problem is expected to worsen, Parks Canada warned. Mother bears will teach their cubs that the city provides a reliable source of food. The latest warning from Parks Canada is part of ongoing efforts to eradicate the city’s problematic non-native berry harvest. Parks Canada is calling for these trees to be removed from public and private property. Last month, the City of Jasper announced it had placed more than 20 non-native fruit trees in local parks and green spaces on the proverbial chopping block after they were deemed problematic. Parks Canada also offers free assistance to residents with tree removal.
“They march by the light of day”
Joe Urie, a Jasper resident and co-owner of a local tourism company, says bears have become more common in town over the years, but they’ve been particularly brazen this season. He spotted them in trees, roaming yards and even sleeping on a neighbor’s roof. He said while some of the problem bears were sneaky, the mother bears were fearless in their search for food. “These mothers, you know, their need to feed was much greater because they are also feeding these babies and so they are marching in the daylight. “And all the noise no longer amounted to anything. They realized it was just a sting and that was it.” Urie encourages his neighbors to cut down their fruit trees and suggests that their removal should be enforced by law. “This problem will continue to get worse and there is only one solution. And that is for local people to get on the same page with Parks Canada.”
