Whitehorse working group formed to help reduce bear encounters

Anew working group in Whitehorse aims toprevent conflictbetween people and animals.

TheWhitehorse Bear Working Group is made up of representatives fromtheCity of Whitehorse, Environment Yukon and a non-profit group, called WildWise Yukon. The group was formedaftermany instances ofbears having to be re-located or killed in Whitehorse.

Heather Ashthorn, WildWise Yukon'sproject co-ordinator,says theWhitehorse Bear Working Groupis currently considering projects. Possible initiatives could includea bear hazard assessment.

"It would help find outwhere bears are, where they're concentrating and what they're attracted to," Ashthorn says.

She says such a study would help the group develop strategies for people to keep bears out of their neighbourhood

'No one wants to see bears needlessly killed'

Miles Hume,organics co-ordinator with the City of Whitehorse,says the city wants to be proactive to prevent human-bear encounters.

"No one wants to see bears needlessly killed,especially when we can all do better to stop bears from needlessly entering neighbourhoods in the first place," he says.

In 2013, Environment Yukon received reports of42 encounters with bears in the territory. Four bears were relocated and one had to be put down. Another two bears were killed by members of the public in self-defence.