How To See Bears Safely

Bears are beautiful creatures that we are lucky enough to be able to see all over Whistler. But we need to remember to respect them in order to keep our bears safe. Here is how you can marvel at our furry friends in a respectful way.

Keep your Distance

You may think that bears look docile and friendly but you need to remember to keep your distance. You should stay at least 100 meters away while bear watching. They can actually run faster than an Olympic sprinter which means keeping a safe distance is critical. When you see a bear while in your car, be sure not to get out. It may be tempting to get that perfect Instagram shot but getting charged by a 300IB bear probably isn’t worth it.

Dogs and Bears

If you have a dog, keeping it on a leash will prevent problems when encountering bears. While bears can tolerate dog barking for a while, eventually they will confront the dog. Your four-legged best friend will come running back you as an owner – and guess who will be the next target!

Garbage

Bears need to eat 20,000 calories a day in order to be able to hibernate for the winter. Make sure you don’t leave garbage out. A hungry bear will be attracted to any food scraps- including uncleaned BBQs, rubbish and fruit. Attracting bears to human environments is what ultimately ends up getting the bears killed.

Don’t Stop by the Road

Many newcomers to Whistler, get excited when they see a bear and that’s ok. But make sure you don’t stop your car on a busy highway to get a look. If you stop by the road, not only can you cause traffic but it can also be very dangerous to other drivers. Don’t honk your horn to scare the bear away. This actually has the opposite effect and can cause bears to run out into the road.

Tours

If you want a way to see lots of bears in a safe way, Bear Tours are your best option. You get taken to the best, most scenic spots to see these stunning creatures in their natural environment.

If you want to know more about bear safety, make sure to come and talk to one of our friendly front desk agents.

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