Hungry bears invade Canadian city after wildfire

Yellowknife, a city under evacuation due to the threat of wildfires, is being invaded by black bears looking for food.

A Canadian city has been overrun by black bears, who are scavenging for food in the trash left behind by evacuees. Residents of Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories, Canada, fled their homes on August 16 as wildfires spread to the surrounding area, just 15 kilometers (9 miles) outside the city. About 95 percent of Yellowknife’s roughly 20,000 residents have moved out, with only a few key staff remaining, Live Science reported on September 1.

About a week after the evacuation of Yellowknife, residents discovered large numbers of black bears ( Ursus americanus ) roaming the streets. Since then, sightings have steadily increased, but there is no official count of black bears living in the city. In a video shared by BBC News, black bears can be seen lurking in people's yards, walking on the streets, rummaging through garbage, and chasing a man.

Bears are likely drawn to the city because most residents leave behind full trash cans, meaning there’s plenty of food for the bears, said James Williams, a wildlife officer with the Northwest Territory, who patrols the city for black bears. Wildfires may also be helping push black bears out of their natural habitat and toward Yellowknife.

Bear sightings in Yellowknife typically increase at this time of year. In early August, two bears were shot and killed by authorities in Yellowknife for posing a safety threat after one of them tried to break into a home. At the same time last year, residents were advised to stay off trails around the city because some bears appeared unafraid of people.

Wildfires could change how wildlife officials handle bears. Officials typically use spray and rubber bullets to drive black bears away from towns. When that fails, they capture black bears and release them far from town. But wildfires make it harder to release bears into the wild. As a result, bears are more likely to be euthanized.

"Our number one priority is to protect the lives and property of our residents and the City of Yellowknife. Sometimes we have to kill some bears," Williams said.

An Khang (According to Live Science )

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