A black bear was struck and killed by a car on Pemberton Meadows Road earlier this week, as locals are reporting increased bear activity in the area.
Kirsten Mitchell was one of the first to come across the dead animal on Sunday, Sept. 3. “We were driving really early in the morning, like 4:30 to 5 a.m. It looked like it had been dragged out onto the road by something,” she said. “It was in the middle of the lane on a blind corner.”
A local woman moved the animal to the side of the road, away from oncoming traffic, and Conservation Officer Brittany Mueller told Pique the bear’s body was later removed by highway workers.
Some residents are warning others to be extra cautious in the coming weeks after a few near misses. Kristine Reierson was extremely shaken after a black bear ran out in front of her car between Pemberton and Mount Currie. She narrowly avoided hitting it.
“I was just driving down the 99, right by North Arm Farm, and out of nowhere a bear just came directly in front of my car. I had to slam on my brakes and go into incoming traffic,” she said.
“Thankfully, there wasn’t anyone there immediately. It just crossed the road and went right back into the bushes. It was a black, small bear.”
Reierson said she was rattled by the scary incident. “I had to pull over and stop shaking. I would have cried if I hit the bear and hurt it. Everyone needs to be really mindful right now,” she said.
Reierson works for the Lil’wat Nation in Mount Currie, and said bear activity is picking up.
“They are all over the road, eating apples and stuff. There are a few apple trees between my work and another building. Sometimes I’ll need to take my car for a one-minute drive, unless there’s one of the dogs around,” she said.
Nicole Grant told Pique she found paw prints all over her truck parked on Elmwood Drive. “I saw them on my truck this morning,” she said on Tuesday, Sept. 5. “They weren’t huge. The bear around here is young. There was one right near my door handle and then another one, too.”
Bears are typically active in the Pemberton area from mid-March through late fall, “but especially during August and September,” according to the (VOP).
“Although watching a bear feed in your yard can be an exhilarating experience, it often leads to trouble. Making sure your home and yard are bear-proof is an essential part of making your community safe for both bears and people,” reads a post on the VOP’s website.
Proper management of attractants such as fruit trees, vegetable gardens, backyard chickens, bird feeders, and compost “is essential to coexist with bears in Pemberton,” the VOP said.
Report animal conflicts to the COS at 1-800-663-9453.
