A West Vancouver resident shared video of a mother bear and cub tipping over his gas grill to reach grease, prompting advice from a local bear group to remove access to human-provided food.
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A West Vancouver resident says he captured video of a mother bear and her cub going after the drippings from his gas grill in his backyard grease trap on Nov. 6.
Greg Scott, who was working from home, said he saw a bear cub walking across his backyard patio table and he was unable to shoo the animals away.
Scott said he used his smartphone to record the incident and that after a couple of minutes, the mother bear was able to access the food she and the cub were seeking—leftover chicken grease.
After sharing the video, Scott said he wanted it to serve as a learning opportunity for barbecue owners, adding that he now cleans the barbecue after every use.
Holly Reisner, executive director of the North Shore Black Bear Society, said the incident highlights the need for residents on the North Shore to ensure bears do not have access to human-provided food, particularly as the forests have been especially difficult for bears to find natural food.
Reisner said she is aware of two bear families making their way around West Vancouver and emphasized the importance of keeping bears safe until they can reach a den for the winter.
Reisner advised homeowners to burn off excess food left on the grill and to freeze drippings before taking them out with regular food waste, and also said people should pull the trap out and clean it after each use, especially at this time of year.
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