There has been a noticeable increase in the number of bear incidents around Whitehorse and other communities this year.

Ken Knutson of the Department of Environment said this week that from a historical perspective, the Whitehorse area has been relatively quiet over the last 10 years since the installation of electric fencing around the Whitehorse landfill in 1995-96.

This year, however, has seen a marked rise in the number of bears shot or killed on roads, the field operations manager for conservation officers explained Wednesday.

Knutson said there is no scientific analysis to suggest what might be behind the increase in incidents, that he can only surmise what might be behind the bump in local bear activity.

'I do not know if it's just a warmer climate over the last few years and a good berry crop, but there seems to be more sub-adults around,' he said.

Knutson said this year's crop of soapberries, raspberries and blueberries seems to quite healthy again.

'It seems like we have a good bear year, if you like, a higher number of complaints,' he said. 'But a lot of them are just sightings. They are not nuisance complaints; a lot a just in my yard but not doing anything.' '

Knutson emphasized the best way to prevent problems with bears is to ensure the proper storage of garbage or other matter that may attract bears.

If bears are able to obtain food at a particular location, he said, there's a good chance they'll come back.

'And you can't blame them,' he said. 'Their bodies soak up nutrients this time of year just like a sponge soaks up water.'

Knutson pointed out there have been reports of a sow black bear and her cub along Robert Service Way in the berry-rich area across from Robert Service Campground. But the campground managers have ensured proper handling of garbage by staff and campers, and there have been no problems to date, he pointed out.

Knutson said there have also been reports of a single bear in the general area, and anyone hiking along the bluffs should be aware there are bears around.

One bear was shot in the Hidden Valley subdivision area.

Bruins are around most places, he said. People need to remain bear-aware, and if anyone is looking for tips, there is both written and video material at the Department of Environment and local libraries, he added.

So far this year in the Whitehorse district, there have been six bears shot by the public one grizzly and five black bears and two black bears shot by conservation officers, with a few trapped and relocated, Knutson said.

And while there is normally a couple of bears killed each year on roadways, there have been six so far this year, most in the Marsh Lake area.

'It appears to be an anomaly year for sure, a bit of a bump, if you will, on the graph.'

As reported in the Star, a couple of weeks ago, a bear killed almost 30 chickens at a residence along the Carcross Road, he noted.

He said the property owner ended up shooting a grizzly and a black bear in defence of his property, which is legal.

A conservation officer took a bear trap to Carcross on Wednesday in response to a bear pulling laundry off a clothes line in the subdivision immediately south of the community, Knutson noted.

He said there also seems to be higher-than-normal activity in the Teslin and Watson Lake districts as well.

As for the Dawson City area, it's normally an area of fairly active bear activity, though the numbers aren't out of the ordinary for this year, conservation officer Torrie Hunter said from Dawson on Wednesday.

Hunter said last year there were 31 reports of bear incidents, compared to 28 so far this spring and summer.

In Dawson, however, most of the bear occurrences happen in June and July, he said.

'And Whitehorse's busy time, for whatever reason, seems to be later.'

Hunter said two bears have been shot by COs and two were killed by members of the public.