Food supply is the main reason Sask. residents are seeing more bears
Black bear populations are stable and have not changed much, said a Saskatchewan bear biologist, but they have a slight shortage of food in some areas and that’s why people are seeing more of them in human habitats.
Matthew Tokaruk, who works for the Ministry of the Environment, said that it is more likely that bears are not finding much food in the wild and some private property is more inviting than others.
“Bear populations are slow to change, and whether you’re seeing bears or not, isn’t really a good indication of the bear population. It’s often more indication of what foods are available at that time,” he said.
This year, a cool and rainy June means that berry crops like saskatoons are a bit behind schedule compared to when they would normally be ripe.