Squamish's Theodora Jean and her fellow yoga classmates were forced to break focus on their breath and movement on Monday night when a bear wandered by and decided to take a peek at their class.
Jean said the black bear had come to watch for a few minutes before she grabbed her phone to record it strolling by the class at Hotbox Fitness in the Garibaldi Highlands area of Squamish.
Squamish, and the entire Sea to Sky Corridor, is prime black bear habitat.
Bears are active from about March through December and sometimes longer.
As we approach fall, bears can be more active.
"In preparation for hibernation, a bear’s appetite will increase and they can feed for up to 20 hours a day in order to pack on enough pounds to survive the winter," reads the District of Squamish website.
"This increased feeding phase is called 'hyperphagia" or hyper eating. They can consume up to 20,000 calories per day, which is equal to a human eating 50 hamburgers per day. Bear activity typically increases in the fall as they expand their search for last-minute food sources."
The District also notes that birdseed is a non-natural food for bears, so it should be kept out of bears’ reach.
"Late summer and fall domestic fruit crops are not a natural food source. Pick your fruit, collect all windfall and be Bear Smart. Salmon is an important natural food source in the fall, extra caution should be used in riparian areas where bears could be feeding."
Ethical wildlife photography
WildSafeBC offers the following tips for being ethical about viewing and photographing wildlife, including bears:
- Do not use calls to draw in wildlife.
- Avoid crowding the subject and use a long lens to maintain your distance. If the animal moves away, you are too close.
- Be respectful of private property. Tread lightly and avoid damaging fragile ecosystems. Stay on trails if unsure.
- Do not stop on highways or roads where speeds exceed 60km/hr unless there is an approved pullout. This can be unsafe for fellow motorists or for wildlife if they cross traffic.
- Bear viewing is best done from a safely parked vehicle or a regulated viewing platform. Never approach potentially dangerous wildlife.
- Never feed or bait wildlife to obtain a photo (in many cases this is illegal). This includes the use of salt, which may have the unintentional consequence of spreading disease.
