Conservation officers are calling on Yukoners to be more bear aware, undertaking a public awareness campaign to combat complacency.

The campaign consists of radio ads and, as much as possible, interactions with campers about limiting bear attractants.

"In order to avoid a person getting injured or killed, or a bear being unnecessarily put down, we're just trying to educate people,” Greg Cote, the supervisor with the Yukon Park Officer Program, said at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

Chris Gustafson, the manager of Enforcement and Components with Conservation Officer Services, said conservation officers have received an "inordinate” number of complaints this year.

"All of them involve people and garbage,” he said "It's not a new message we're sending out; it's just one that doesn't seem, for some particular reason, to get through.”

While a conservation officer's first response is education, there have been cases where people have been given warnings and even fined for attracting wildlife.

Last year, about 50 verbal or written warnings were handed out and two people were charged under the Wildlife Act, a charge that carries a $100 fine.

This year so far, 25 people have been warned and two have been charged.

Cote said the increase in the number of enforcements reflects in part a greater emphasis by Parks staff to address the issue of bear attractants.

"It seems to be we're combatting complacency,” he said, and the issue is more common with locals than tourists.

One example of blatant disregard for bear safety that was shared at the briefing occurred last year. A man left an entire, cooked pot roast on his picnic table unattended while he ventured into Whitehorse for more beer.

But even food in a cooler can attract bears, as some campers found out last week at the Wolf Creek campground.

It's recommended that campsites be cleaned up at the end of the day. Food and garbage should either be stored in a vehicle, or garbage should be placed in the bear-proof cans provided.

A new bear-proof storage locker is available for campers who don't have a vehicle to store their food in at Marsh Lake, and one will be installed at Wolf Creek as well.

Cote noted that by not taking steps to reduce bear attractants, people are putting themselves and other campers in danger.

"You might have been raised in the bush and you're more than capable of defending yourself from an aggressive bear that's been attracted to your site because of food you left out, but the kids in the tent next door to you may not be as capable of fending off a bear,” Cote said.

Gustafson noted too, that the solution is definitely not removing bears from the area or, in the worst case, killing them.

"Last year, we took five bears out of one spot in 10 days. Until the attractants are gone, bears are going to find those spots,” said Gustafson.

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