Wildlife-Human Interactions

Conservation Officer Service

The Conservation Officer Service (COS) is the enforcement program of the Ministry of Environment. It supports the ministry's operational Divisions, and other government departments, by delivering compliance and enforcement services under both provincial and federal environmental legislation. The COS is also the lead program for managing and responding to wildlife/human conflicts where there is a risk to public safety.

Wildlife/Human Conflicts Prevention Strategy

As British Columbia's population grows, more of us come into contact with wildlife. Wildlife-human conflicts range from nuisance encounters with small wildlife such as squirrels to attacks by large predators such as bears on pets, livestock or humans. These conflicts can cause human injuries and death, destruction of wildlife, and damage to property, resulting in financial impacts on businesses and local governments. An effective prevention strategy focuses on managing wildlife-human contacts where they happen-in communities and regions, in both urban and rural areas. The provincial government is committed to reducing conflicts between wildlife and humans as part of its strategic goal of maintaining safe, healthy communities and a sustainable environment.

Programs

Get Bear Aware

Bears and people come into regular contact in B.C., especially Black Bears, since they are more adaptable to humans and human settlement than Grizzlies. Black Bears live throughout the forests of B.C. and often reside at the forest edge near towns or farms. These bears frequently wander into populated areas drawn by human food and/or garbage. If people allow these visiting bears to access garbage and other non-natural food sources, they help to create "problem" bears. Learn more about what problem bears and what you can do to help avoid conflicts.

Bear Smart

The Bear Smart Community program is a partnership between the the Ministry of Environment, British Columbia Conservation Foundation and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. It is a voluntary, preventative conservation measure that encourages communities, businesses and individuals to work together. The goal is to address the root causes of bear/human conflicts, thereby reducing the risks to human safety and private property, as well as the number of bears that have to be destroyed each year.

Species Information

• Bears
• Cougars
• Coyotes
• Nuisance Fauna
• Ungulates
• Wolves