Hungry bears invade Canadian city after wildfires

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

Hungry bears invade Canadian city after wildfires

Black bear chases man into hotel. Video : Global News

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 handful of key staff remaining, Live Science reported on September 1.

About a week after the city of Yellowknife was evacuated, residents who remained 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 down the street, rummaging through trash, and chasing a man.

Bears are likely drawn to the city because most residents leave their trash cans full, meaning there’s plenty of food for the bears, said James Williams, a wildlife officer for the Northwest Territory who patrols the city looking for black bears. Wildfires may also be helping push black bears out of their natural territory and into 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 enter a home. At this time last year, residents were advised to stay off trails around the city because some bears showed no fear 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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