Warming temperatures and an early spring could mean more run-ins with bears, as the Yukon has already seen two incidences in Haines Junction and Old Crow with different results.

Conservation officers responded to the two events in the communities, both to varying outcomes; one bear was euthanized while another retreated peacefully.

A young adult grizzly near Haines Junction was more trouble as it was seen as a conflict bear and had been persistent, chief conservation officer Gordon Hitchcock told reporters Tuesday afternoon in Whitehorse.

“(It was a) persistent bear that was food conditioned,” he said.

“Working with (the Department of) Community Services with securing that landfill, the bear was euthanized as a conflict.”

Another in Old Crow saw the community react positively and change behaviours.

“One looked like it was going to be a persistent sighting of a grizzly bear in Old Crow, but Old Crow responded well and managed their attractants and a lot of information and education was dealt with ... the bear did move on.”

Hitchcock estimated that generally, it can cost north of $10,000 to translocate a bear, inclusive officers’ time and things like helicopter expenses. Often, they wander back into the area where they were originally captured, including Whitehorse.

Hitchcock encouraged Yukoners to be bear aware, carry bear spray and manage attractants when out among wildlife.

Tuesday’s briefing came about six months after a fatal bear mauling last November in the Mayo area that claimed the life of a Whitehorse teacher and her infant daughter.

That grizzly was found to have been undernourished. As well, there was a suddenness to the surprise attack, in a story that captured international headlines.

And just last Thursday, as depicted in Friday’s Star, the Takhini area saw a black bear near the Pepsi Softball Centre field and nearby school. It was eventually returned to the green space later that day with help from the RCMP and the conservation officers.

Bears aren’t the only wildlife the government is encouraging residents to be aware of. Information on foxes, coyotes and wolves is available online and in brochures provided at areas like visitor information centres and environment offices.

“All wildlife has the means to be habituated or become potentially conflict; it’s not just bears we manage,” Hitchcock said, adding a few rules of thumb for interactions.

“Generally, if it’s a bear that you just happened to encounter and it’s just being a bear, then there’s a lot of information out there about making yourself noticeable” and making yourself known as a human, he said.

As for rare encounters when it displays predatory behaviour, “that’s when you basically fight for your life.”

Tuesday’s update for reporters came complete with a demonstration of how to effectively and safely use bear spray.

Yukoners can try their hand at it a week from today at LePage Park.

That’s when the department will hold a public information session, running from noon to 1 p.m. It will see representatives from Environment Yukon, Wildwise Yukon and Parks Canada on hand to answer any questions.