Yukon College taking action to reduce human-bear conflict

WHITEHORSE – Yukon College is taking action to reduce bear activity in the Ayamdigut campus neighbourhood by lowering the number of external garbage dumpsters, replacing some with self-locking bear-proof dumpsters, and installing electric bear fences in two places.

These actions are wildlife management alternatives from a new report, A Bear Risk Assessment for Yukon Place, researched and prepared by biologist and college instructor, Dr. Scott Gilbert, and Renewable Resources Management Program student, Andrew Smith. Gilbert and Smith reviewed and mapped the available information on bear activity in the area, created an inventory of both natural forage and human attractants for bears in the area, and provided options on how to reduce them.

“The level of bear activity in the area simply speaks to the reality of Whitehorse as a ‘wilderness city’,” said Gilbert. “A proactive approach to managing wildlife, removing the food that attracts bears in the first place, will make the campus safer for both humans and bears."

Yukon College will spend just $4000.00 to accomplish this initial round of bear-safe activity.

“Many of the options in the report are inexpensive and can be acted upon immediately. Where possible we are moving to ensure the campus is less attractive to any bears passing by,” said Colleen Wirth, Director of Student and Infrastructure Support at Yukon College. “This is a strong example of research by faculty and students responding to real-world problems and directly impacting where we work and live.”

Dumpsters are being moved from various places around campus to a central area that will be protected by an electric bear fence. A seasonal electric bear fence will also be installed around the small community vegetable garden beside Campus Housing.

The College is hoping to replace a conventional dumpster stationed beside the 520 College Drive campus housing unit and next to a children’s play area, with a self-locking bear-proof dumpster. The College is working with General Waste Management to source a bear-resistant dumpster that can be used with their garbage truck.

In September, Gilbert and the incoming first year Renewable Resource Management students will remove soapberry bushes, a natural attractant that bears feed on in late summer. Students will remove the plants from a narrow 30 metre fringe around the campus to encourage bears to forage further away from campus. The College has already increased public education efforts targeted at students living in Campus Housing using new posters and a brochure developed last year by Multimedia Communications student Marilou Aguillon. The College also recently created an email list to better share real-time information on bear sightings between Ayamdigut campus and its neighbours Yukon Archives, Yukon Arts Centre and the Senior’s Residence.

According to the bear occurrence database maintained by Yukon Environment, a conservation officer investigated bear activity in the Middle McIntyre Creek area 16 times between 2006 and 2014. Six of these were on or adjacent to Ayamdigut campus, with four resulting in bear removal. In 2006 a male grizzly bear was killed, in 2010 a female grizzly was trapped and relocated, and last year a male and female black bear were trapped separately and relocated.

Funding for this research was provided by a grant from the Yukon College Faculty Research Fund - a $100,000 fund created in 2014 to support faculty and student research projects. 19 research projects have been supported through this initiative since June 2014.

The report, A Bear Risk Assessment for Yukon Place, can be downloaded from the research project page on the Yukon College website:  yukoncollege.yk.ca/research/project/a_bear_risk_assessment_for_yukon_place/.