Bears are attracted to hummingbird feeders and bird feeders in general.  Lions Bay regularly receives reports about bears ripping down hummingbird feeders to drink the nectar and this year has been no different.  Bears are also very attracted to all kinds of seeds, including sunflower seeds.  Sunflower seeds are so full of fat the bear can forego hours of foraging if he scores a full feeder.  Bears have a highly developed sense of smell and can smell birdseed in a distant bird feeder, as well as on the ground beneath.

We have several human food-conditioned bears currently in the Village.  Residents who leave their bird feeders unsupervised and accessible to bears are contributing to the problem.  Accessible birdseed, outside garbage, outside food and dirty barbeques all lure bears into our yards.  When bears associate easy food with people, bears become less wary in our territory.  Once a bear takes the next bold step to break into homes, the situation becomes serious. 

A bear has been recently breaking into homes in the Panorama/Oceanview area.  Bird feeders and other bear attractants need to be inaccessible to bears so that we can collectively address this current threat to resident and bear safety.   If human food is not available, hopefully the bears will return to natural foods.

Lions Bay Bear Smart Committee