6 bears killed in Yukon since Saturday by residents, conservation officers

Six bears have been killed by Yukon conservation officers and residents since Saturday, adding to a growing total that is threatening to become one of the highest in years.

• Eating from the fridge, trying to steal a bag: Yukon tracks 3 bear incidents in 3 days
• Wildlife officials seem 'busier than normal' with bears around Whitehorse

According to officials from Yukon's department of environment, a grizzly bear was shot by a conservation officer on Saturday near Destruction Bay after being reported chasing vehicles and motorcyclists.

On Sunday, a black bear was shot by a resident of Whitehorse's Mendenhall neighbourhood "in defence of life and property," after the bear broke into the resident's chicken coop.

On Monday, a black bear was killed on the highway near Dawson, and another was shot by a member of the public near Keno. Two additional black bears have been shot by conservation officers in the community of Faro this week.

Conservation officer Ken Knutson says officers have been putting in long hours.

 "We're getting tired. We're getting a lot of calls every day. We're getting calls, sightings of bears that are into things. So we're moving traps and moving bears and unfortunately having to put down bears," he says.

"It's not just Whitehorse. Most of the districts, particularly Faro, Ross River and Dawson City right now and Mayo. We're very, very busy. The guys are doing, pretty much 16, 18 hours a day."

So far this year, at least 46 bears have been killed by conservation officers or residents in the territory in defence of life or property, double the number for the entirety of 2016. The number is the highest total since 2012, when 61 bears were reported shot and killed in the territory.

'Same issues' keep recurring 

Knutson says the root cause of encounters aren't changing. He says bears keep getting into human food sources like garbages and backyard farms.

One exacerbating factor this year could be a poor berry crop, which is pushing bears to seek other food.

"In the last few years we've seen a real trend in the availability of [backyard farm] poultry as a potential food source for bears. Now we're seeing an increase in beehives so the mood around the office is a question: 'Why are we seeing the same issues, despite all our educational efforts?" he says. 

Kutson says one measure the department has been pushing is electric fencing. 

Different small-scale kits can be installed to surround a backyard chicken coop or garbage bin. 

"They're safe, they're affordable, they're a great way to keep bears out," he says.