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To report bear sightings, please call the provincial government’s Conservation Officer Service hotline, at 1-877-952-7277 or fill out their online form. This is the “Report all Poachers and Polluters” (RAPP) line. A person will take your information and send it to our Conservation Officer in Golden. Reporting a sighting does not mean someone will show up to kill the bear.
Our Revelstoke Bear Aware Coordinator keeps track of bear sightings and associated bear attractants reported to the RAPP line. By reporting a bear sighting you will improve our ability to to direct our public education initiatives.
When to Call
Information to Report
When you call the RAPP line to report a bear sighting, you need to be prepared to provide specific information.
- Indicate where you live, why you are calling, your name and telephone number.
- You will be asked what type of bear you have seen, the location of the bear, and the time of the sighting. If the bear is on your property at the time of the call, they will instruct you on what to do.
- In most cases, the RAPP centre or the Bear Aware Coordinator will pass the information on to the local conservation officer. He or she may contact you to ask more detailed questions. It is a good idea to write down the sighting information while it is fresh in your mind.
Some information you can pass on:
- What kind of bear was it? How large was it? Did it have any distinguishing markings (such as a white patch, scars, a notched ear, etc.)?
- Were there any cubs?
- What was the bear doing? Was it walking, running, eating, sleeping? Did it make noise? Did it leave any signs (scat, tracks, claw marks, etc.)?
- Was there anything out of the ordinary about its behaviour? For example, was it limping? Did it act aggressively? If a bear does not seem to be afraid of humans, loud noises, or is eating garbage, it is exhibiting abnormal behaviour.
- How long was the bear in the area? What caused the bear to leave?
- Have you seen this bear before? Have your neighbours seen it? If so, how often?
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with this information. It is valuable data that helps record the movements and numbers of local bear populations, enabling us to better protect the public and the bears.
Black bear searching for food. Photo: Noleen Mostert 2010
After you’ve reported the sighting
Think carefully about why the bear was in your neighbourhood. Are there attractants that should be removed? The Bear Aware Coordinator can speak to your neighbours if you are uncomfortable doing this. Call 250-837-8624.
The City of Revelstoke also has a reporting system should you see an infraction such as rotting fruit on the ground or unsecured garbage.
