Using Electric Fencing to Manage Bear Conflict
Bear conflict, in large, is driven by food in Alberta. Margo Supplies Heavy Duty fence is the tool of choice for homeowners, hobby farms, and industry professionals. The Heavy Duty fence is a multi-functional carnivore fence that can be a standalone fence system or can be installed on an existing fence. http://vimeo.com/video/631000796?h=8d541b7de8 Jay Honeyman is a bear conflict biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks. His job is large carnivore conflict mitigation and with that, he often deals with human-bear conflict. Jay explains the nature of these conflicts, and how installing a simple electric fence can protect high-value food sources from bears. From hobby farms to industry professionals, the benefits of electric fencing can be easily understood after speaking with Honeyman. “By reducing conflict and reducing these attractants so that bears aren’t interested in coming onto people’s properties. We’re not having to euthanize bears, we’re not having to relocate bears, we’re not having property damage for the landowner, and we’re not having public safety issues with bears hanging around properties.” – Honeyman, 2021 Electric Fencing is an integral component for managing conflicts with bears, especially when bears are motivated to an area. Once a bear gets a food reward they become quite driven and they will return to the area. Electric fencing breaks this reward cycle and tells the bear that they need to move on. “By removing the food source, it’s a win-win for everyone, and it’s something we should be doing more of”
The Environmental Impacts of Bear Spray
Most bear sprays use a propellant that is being phased out in Canada and the USA, why? In the world of wildlife management and technology, we are constantly searching for new ways to make it easier for humans to co-exist with our natural surroundings. While many products cater to industry professionals, one of the most widely used animal management tools is bear spray. From outdoor enthusiasts to job sites, bear spray is often on hand for those who understand the dangers of bear encounters. But what happens when a life-saving tool like bear spray turns out to be bad for the environment? It can be difficult to balance the known benefits of a product like bear spray with the potential environmental impact that it has. Background Over the past decade, the USA and Canada have passed legislation that attempts to limit the use of known pollutants. One such pollutant is the propellant 134a, which is used in most available bear sprays. The governments of these countries have allowed the limited use of 134a in bear spray because up until recently, there was no known alternative. Over the past year, Counter Assault has discovered an alternative to 134a that significantly reduces the environmental impact of bear spray. The new propellant creates about 120 metric tonnes of CO2 which is about 9.5 times less than the widely used 134a propellant, which creates 1,144 tonnes of CO2. The Environmental Impacts of Bear Spray: A Comparison If we compare 10,000 cans of bear spray, which typically contain between 80g – 150g of propellant per can, this is how they stack up: Current Bear Spray (134a propellant) GWP = 1,430 Bear Sprays that use the 134a propellant have a Greenhouse Gas Effect of 1,430x that of CO2. Counter Assault Low-Emission Bear Spray GWP = 150 Counter Assault Bear Spray uses a new propellant that has a Greenhouse Gas Effect of 150x that of CO2. The most readily available bear sprays on the market still use 134a as a propellant, which has a significantly higher Greenhouse Gas Effect compared to the new alternative. At Margo Supplies, we are proud to carry Counter Assault Low Emission Bear Spray, a major innovation in bear deterrent technology.
What is in Bear Spray and How Does it Work?
If you work or visit areas where bears may be present, you might have been told to “be prepared with bear spray”, but what is actually in bear spray and how does it work? In short, bear spray is the last line of defense against bear attacks. While many bear encounters do not result in the use of bear spray, in close contact encounters, it has been proven to minimize harm and prevent fatalities. In a study conducted in Alaska, it was found that 98% of people who carried bear spray were uninjured in a close-range bear encounter. In a study of 83 bear-related incidents, 98% of people who carried bear spray were uninjured in a close-range encounter. – Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, 2010 How does it work? Bear spray is an aerosol, similar to hair spray or bug spray. Aerosols are a combination of propellants and solvents under pressure that are contained within a can. The propellant is what allows for the solvent to be dispersed into the air. Most bear sprays use a propellant called R134a, popular for its non-flammable and non-toxic properties. R134a was recently banned in Canada without an essential-use permit due to its negative environmental impact. The solvent is the product that is being dispersed into the air. In the case of bear spray, the solvent or product is called capsaicin. Capsaicin is the active component of chili peppers. It is commonly used in food products, pharmaceuticals and animal deterrents. Capsaicin creates a burning sensation upon contact, making it an irritant to mammals, including humans. On Sale Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page Bear Shield Bear Spray Currently selling 225g with 06/2027 expiry date Currently selling 400g with 07/2027 expiry date 2.0% total capsaicin and capsaicinoid – equal or exceeds all other Bear Sprays in Canada Longest… $60.00 – $70.00 $40.00 – $70.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Bear Safety: An Alberta Case Study
Human-bear conflict is an ongoing challenge to both conservation efforts and in the daily lives of the people who live and work in bear country. Grizzly bears that have been habituated to human food sources can destroy private property, cause significant economic losses, and even cause public safety concerns. However, through cooperation among scientists, government agencies, NGOs and the public, human-bear conflict can be reduced, saving resources and protecting these valuable animals. This month we’re lucky enough to feature the work of Dr. Andrea Morehouse who shares the conservation challenges and practical solutions found in Southwest Alberta. The mountains meet in the prairies in southwestern Alberta. Strong winds shape the landscape and the Rocky Mountains transition rapidly to agricultural lands resulting in spectacular scenery. Grizzly Bears and other large carnivores roam the landscape. The area is part of the Crown of the Continent, home to a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and arguably one of the most beautiful places in Alberta. For the past nine years, I have been lucky to call southwester Unlike other areas of the province with extensive protected areas and large tracts of public land, public lands in southwestern Alberta are limited. Within the 3,600 km2 grizzly bear management area (BMA 6) that extends from Highway 3 south to the border with Montana, there are only ~2,000 km2 of public land. Simply put, this is not enough space to sustain viable populations of wide-ranging large carnivores. Consequently, there is a high degree of overlap between large carnivore home ranges and private land uses. Perhaps not surprisingly, southwestern Alberta has and continues to be a hotspot of large carnivore-agricultural conflicts and bear safety continues to be an important topic. “I feel fortunate to work with a community of proactive people willing to consider a landscape shared with carnivores.” The region is home to all four native large carnivores – grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, and cougars – and it was research on large carnivores that brought me to the area. My experience in southwestern Alberta began as a M.Sc. student at the University of Alberta studying wolf diet. Subsequently I completed a Ph.D. also at the University of Alberta studying grizzly bear population ecology and large carnivore conflicts in the region. Depredation of livestock by large carnivores is a long-standing issue, and wolves are the primary culprit. Indeed, during the summer grazing season approximately 45% of wolf diet is domestic cattle. Grizzly bears also kill livestock and are responsible for the second highest number of livestock depredation events in Alberta (second to wolves). Southwestern Alberta is home to a high density of grizzly bears; resident grizzly bear density in BMA 6 is 20.4 grizzly bears/1,000 km2 in the Recovery Zone (Western public lands) and 17.1 grizzly bears/1,000 km2 in the Support Zone (Eastern private lands). Additionally, a high number (approximately 172) of grizzly bears use the area each year. Because of their omnivorous diet, grizzly bears cause more problems than just livestock depredation. Access to attractants can also be a source of conflict between people and bears. Bears can damage standing crops and stored silage and grain; destroy grain bins; raid gardens, fruit trees, and garbage; and be a human-bear safety issue when in proximity to homes and communities. Understandably, such conflicts are are a huge concern to communities that live within carnivore home ranges. What can be done to prevent negative interactions with large carnivores? It is important to understand that there is no “one size fits all” solution to the conservation challenge of mitigating human-carnivore conflicts. Solutions must be place-based and work for the individual experiencing the conflict. I feel fortunate to work within a community of proactive people that are willing to consider a shared landscape with carnivores. Building on previous work led by community groups such as the Drywood Yarrow Conservation Partnership, the Chief Mountain Landowner Initiative, and the Blackfoot Challenge in Montana, as well as collaborations with the provincial government, the Waterton Biosphere Reserve’s (WBR) Carnivores and Communities Program began in 2009 in response to increasing conflicts between large carnivores and agricultural land uses. I have been involved with the WBR since 2011 and joined their board of directors in 2014. [We] operate on a consensus-based model and together have made tremendous strides in reducing agricultural conflicts with large carnivores.” The Carnivores and Communities Program is led by the Carnivore Working Group (CWG), made up primarily of landowners and producers from Cardston County and the Municipalities of Pincher Creek, Ranchland and Willow Creek, as well as representatives from the provincial government, non-profit organizations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and researchers such as myself. The CWG operates on a consensus-based model, and together this group has made tremendous strides in reducing agricultural conflicts with large carnivores in the local community. Much of the work completed by the WBR CWG to date has focussed on restricting grizzly bear access to agricultural attractants. Our evaluation of grizzly bear conflicts in the area has identified grain and dead livestock as the two most common grizzly bear attractants in southwestern Alberta. Changes to grain bins such as bear-proof grain bin doors, hopper bottom bins, and the installation of cement floors have all helped prevent grizzly bear access. Sea Cans, or shipping containers, have also been used successfully to store grain and other attractants. Additionally, electric fencing has been a powerful tool in preventing grizzly bear access to a wide variety of attractants including grain, silage, bee yards, and calving pastures. Dead stock, or boneyards, represent a major attractant not only for grizzly bears but for also for all large carnivores, potentially bringing carnivores into proximity with other attractants and agricultural land uses. The WBR’s dead stock removal program focuses on removing this attractant from the landscape through either on-farm pickup or bear proof deadstock bins where a producer can bring dead animals, thereby removing the attractant from his/her property. “Electric fencing has been a powerful tool in preventing grizzly bear access to a wide variety
Preventing Human-Bear Conflicts With Computer Modelling Technology
Press Release– Margo Supplies is proud to announce our involvement in a new computer modeling study over the next year. We will work alongside Dr. Lael Parrott of UBC – Okanagan to research the best methods for reducing human-bear conflicts in Whistler, BC in Canada. Dr. Parrott has received federal funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research (NSERC) Engage Grant to support the study. The grant is designed to facilitate partnerships between innovative Canadian companies and experts at Canadian universities and colleges. Human-bear conflicts occur when bears become habituated to human presence or are rewarded with non-natural food, including garbage. Habituated and food-conditioned bears pose a threat to property and human safety and are often euthanized. By using non-lethal deterrents and attractant management methods, we can prevent bears from becoming conflict bears, preventing damage to property and people, and conserving bear populations. Non-lethal methods include aversive conditioning using pyrotechnic noisemakers, also known as bear bangers, and electric fencing around known attractants. The Engage Grant will support the development of a computer agent-based model, which replicates the ecosystem of the Whistler Valley, and places simulated bears within it. This theoretical model will be used to test different deterrent and attractant management strategies and predict their effectiveness. The model will be able to predict what changes in bear behaviour are likely to occur in different deterrent and attractant management scenarios. By including both costs of deterrent strategies as well as responding to problem bears, this model will become a tool municipalities can use to help determine the best solutions and the most efficient way to allocate funds and reduce the number of conflict bears as a result of human activity. “I think most people enjoy sharing the landscape with bears,” says Jeff Marley, president and founder of Margo Supplies. “Our goal is to develop a model that any municipality can use to help inform their bear programming, ultimately creating a better way for us to co-exist with bears.” “Human-bear conflict is a wicked problem with many facets, both ecological and social,” says Dr. Lael Parrott. “By developing a new way to analyze how bears respond to human development across an entire landscape, we hope to help inform bear management, conserving bears while protecting people and property.” For further information, please contact: Jared Marley Director of Communications Margo Supplies Ltd. Tel.: 403-652-1932 E-mail: jared@margosupplies.com Dr. Lael Parrott is a Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and Biology at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus. She develops computational models of complex ecosystems, which inform environmental management decisions in the real world. Parrott’s research is focused on creating ways to improve our quality of life while reducing our environmental impact. Learn more about the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Engage grant. Agent-Based Modeling simulates individual actors and their interactions with the ecosystem through computer modeling. By simulating the actions of individual animals, Agent-Based Modeling can be used to test and predict the effect on animal behavior caused by changes in the ecosystem.
