Issaquah is bear country.
Throughout the Pacific Northwest, spring and summer are bear season. In our area, there have been several sightings this year, which serve as a reminder to take precautions to avoid bear encounters.
In Washington, Bear Awareness Week is June 1-7, 2014.
Unsecured garbage containers, pet food and birdfeeders can attract hungry bears looking for a meal.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) offers the following tips to prevent conflicts between bears and humans:
- Never intentionally feed bears or other wild animals.
- Keep garbage cans in a garage or another secure area until collection day.
- Remove pet food from areas accessible to wildlife.
- Take down birdfeeders until winter.
- Thoroughly clean barbecue grills after each use.
When camping, keep a clean campsite by thoroughly cleaning all cooking utensils after use and sealing uneaten food in airtight containers stored in bear-proof canisters away from sleeping areas.
If you happen to encounter a bear, WDFW offers the following advice:
- Do not run from the animal.
- Pick up small children.
- Stand tall, wave your arms above your head and shout.
- Do not approach the animal and be sure to leave it an escape route.
- Try to get upwind of the bear so that it can identify you as a human and leave the area.
Conflicts between humans and bears tend to subside by mid-summer, when berries and other natural foods become available, and then pick up again in fall before the animals enter their dens.
Learn more about wildlife safety and living in bear country from WDFW’s Living With Wildlife program and the nonprofit organization Western Wildlife Outreach.
Recology CleanScapes, the waste service provider for most Issaquah neighborhoods, offers the wildlife-resistant carts to its local customers.