Conservation

A grizzly bear in a forest.

Living in Kitimat means being comfortable in our wonderful natural environment.

Sometimes, though, that means having smarts for managing our space with wildlife.

In Kitimat, generally the most common wildlife interaction will be with bears. Typically black bears but at times grizzly too.

There is a lot of information about what to do when encountering wildlife, available on the BC Government website. Here is what they say:

Do not feed bears. It's against the law to feed dangerous wildlife.
Remain calm. Do not run or climb a tree. Slowly back away, talking to the bear in a quiet, monotone voice. Do not scream, turn your back on the bear, kneel down or make direct eye contact.
Keep away from the bear. Do not try to get closer to it. If the bear gets too close, use pepper spray (within 7 metres) or something else to threaten or distract it.
Stay together. If you are with others, act as a group. Keep children close – pick up and carry small children.
Go indoors. Bring pets indoors if possible.
Watch the bear until it leaves. Make sure the bear has a clear escape route. After the bear is gone and it's safe, make sure there is nothing in the area that will attract bears back again.

Source: Bears - Province of British Columbia

While the above advice applies anywhere you may encounter bears, here are some additional tips that are especially applicable in Kitimat:

Properly sort your curbside waste. In Kitimat, we collect your food waste each and every week. Properly sorting your food waste out of your garbage and recycling means less chance of wildlife trying to get into a nice smelling meal.
- Keep your curbside waste bins in a secured place until collection days.
- Learn more about our curbside waste program here.
Pick ripe fruit off trees and bushes. If you have fruit-growing trees or bushes on your property, please be active in picking ripe fruit. They are an attractant for wildlife.

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