Residents in the 800-block of Walfred Rd. in Langford were surprised Monday to find a black bear rooting around their back yard in the dinner hour.
“It was trying to get into the garden,” said Louise Ermanson, who was watching the animal with her husband from their home at around 6 p.m. “We were shocked to see a bear on our property.”
The couple, whose two-acre property backs onto the border with Colwood, have lived in the neighbourhood for 23 years and had yet to see a bear, Ermanson said.
They didn’t have any fear over the close-by sighting, she said, rather they were more interested in seeing nature in action.
“We don’t really mind. We thought we’ll just take more pictures and just watch it.”
They were a little concerned, however, given that there were children playing on the street in front, and dogs barking, she said.
Vancouver Island regional conservation officer Peter Pauwels said that bear sightings are more common in the summer months, as there’s more daylight and people are outside enjoying recreational activities.
He said that if you do happen to come across a bear, “don’t approach the animal, give the animal an avenue of escape and get out of its way.”
The best way to deal with bears, he added, is by using common sense, since they are wild animals and don’t like feeling cornered.
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