The City of Cranbrook is reminding people to clean up their fruit trees and windfall fruit as fall approaches.
Residents are required, by City bylaw, to make sure wild animals aren’t being fed.
“Under the City’s Deer Feeding Prohibition bylaw, as an example, residents are not to directly or indirectly leave or place food, food waste or other edible materials on their property to deliberately feed deer,” the City said in a press release. “However, residents who are using their properties for farm operations are growing fruit and vegetables for their own personal use or have ornamental plants or flowers are not contravening the bylaw.”
As we approach the end of summer and beginning of fall, bears will begin their search for calories as they prepare for hibernation.
Bears will go through a phase called hyperphagia, where they eat up to 20,000 calories a day to gain weight for winter denning. Apples are a well-known attractant for bears, says WildSafeBC.
The Animal Control bylaw also states that residents must not feed or shelter any type of wildlife, or leave any pet food, food waste, seeds, nuts, or fruit fallen behind - making it accessible to wildlife.
“To help residents around the region manage their fruit trees, Wildsight offers a great Apple Capture program. The program lends equipment to people to use their fruit to reduce attractants for local wildlife. Wildsight also has a Tree Share Board, which connects people who may not be able to pick their own fruit with people who could use it and would do the picking,” said the City.
You can learn more about the Wildsight program at https://wildsight.ca/branches/kimcran/apples/.