Multiple sightings of a black bear have been reported across Central Saanich over the past week, raising concerns among residents and prompting a wildlife group to issue safety advice.
The first sighting occurred on Thursday, May 15, around 6:30 p.m.when Kim Ponchet, a resident of Oldfield Road near Sean Road, captured a video of the bear in her yard.
"He was only in our yard for a few minutes, then kept walking through our neighbour’s yard towards Keating Cross Road," Ponchet said.
She expressed concern for the bear's safety, noting its young, unsure, and skittish demeanour, as well as the potential risk it posed to children, pets and neighbors if it felt threatened.
Ponchet reported the sighting to the non-emergency police line.
Later that evening, another resident spotted the bear on East Saanich Road in Saanichton, near Shady Creek Drive, around 9:30.
According to Cpl. Pat Bryant, community engagement officer for Central Saanich Police, the department has received multiple calls regarding bear sightings in the area over the past two weeks.
"We had one call on May 16 of a black bear seen on Lochside Drive and Ferguson Road, near Marigold Cafe, so that makes it four calls related to the bear that we’ve received," said Bryant.
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP have reported receiving no bear sighting calls as of yet.
Videos of the black bear wandering through yards were shared on the Brentwood Bay Facebook community group page, prompting Mollie Alexandra, president of Wild Wise Society, to share important "Bear Alert Tips" with the community.
Alexandra emphasized that bears are opportunistic and will seek out easily accessible food sources provided by humans, such as unsecured garbage, compost, pet food, and uncleaned BBQs.
"This doesn't set the bear up for success," she warned.
Bears do not differentiate between natural and non-natural food sources and will return to areas where they have found food.
"With a sense of smell 2,000 times stronger than ours, bears can detect attractants from great distances," Alexandra explained. "They aren’t trying to cause trouble — they’re just following their noses."
Vancouver Island black bears are common to the area and typically emerge from hibernation in the spring.
To ensure the safety of both the community and the wildlife, Alexandra offered the following advice: secure all garbage, recycling and compost in bear-resistant containers; don't place bins curbside until collection morning; feed pets indoors; lock up livestock and animal feed; and clean your BBQ after every use.
For more information on bear safety, residents are encouraged to visit the BC government website – If You See a Bear at www3/gov.bc.ca
