:) Very cool, a small, black bear was rooting through the undergrowth looking for breakfast I assume, just off Gaglardi on the uphill swing toward the University this morning at about 10:15am.

I was on the road and s/he was just up the hillock in the trees, totally ignored me, wish I had my camera.

Glossy black fur, blonde snout, not very big (well that's a relative term) maybe 1.5m (?). Not all that familiar with bears, but the size made me think juvenile.

Not threatening in anyway, but glad for the 20m between us.

Black bear #2

May 20, 11:35am at the top of North Road and bottom of Dead Moped, mini skills park, a bear was wandering along on the other side of the refininery fence fortunately. S/He wasn't too keen on me and pivoted and waddled off with few looks over his/her shoulder along the road paralleling the houses.

Bit scruffier than the first bear, coat a bit messy (but it was horrible rainy morning), not as shiny, and a grey muzzle, and perhaps a bit larger.

Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii)

This is the smaller native squirrel, see buckets of the larger grey or black, Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), which tend to displace this native species.

They have a very distinctive call, sounds like a squeaky toy on speed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Squirrel

Black Bear Encounters
Black bears should always be considered unpredictable and potentially dangerous. A black bear will usually detect your presence and flee the area before you notice unless the bear has been conditioned to people and their foods.

If a black bear is visible, but not close, alter your route so that you will move away from its area.

If a black bear approaches, do not run. Remain calm, continue facing the bear and slowly back away. If the bear continues to approach, try to group together and pick up small children. Try to scare the bear away by shouting and acting aggressively.

If a black bear attacks, it is suggested to fight back using everything in your power fists, sticks, rocks, and E.P.A. registered bear pepper spray.

So says General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

 Seen a bear on the Mountain for the first time tonight, pic here taken just off University Crescent between the new buildings and Cornerstone, Very Cool.

Having just revisited this post I think it has been a very busy year with the black bears. The weather has been brutal on the berries this year. Bro Pete and son S spotted a large one on the southeast side of mountain back in spring. The tracks were large. There is a very good book by controversial bear expert James Gary Shelton called Bear Encounter Survival Guide. It is one hell of a good read. Predatory black bears are few and far between however you do not want to be around one. Our family has been around many a bear in our years from Whistler to Pete and I riding the Logan Lake/Chewels mountain areas and we have never been bothered. After reading this book I have a new found respect for the Black bear.I highly reccommend this book. I have many a bear book and this is a good one. Be careful. Matt saw a big deer up on top in the spring also. It has been five years since I have seen a deer.

The cougars are on the mountain almost every year. They are few and far between however five years ago we had one that hung around for two weeks and our old neighbourhood had a few scares. I have some shots of the tracks of this one under the powerlines. Ron and Pete and I were riding up and I noticed them. Ron and Pete rode right past them(uphill slowly) What kind of Indians are these guys? Don't they watch Mantracker ? We have seen many tracks at Burke over the years. I talked with a fellow that lives down by the area near the oil spill area. He says most of the widlife come into Burnaby from Port Moody via the railroad tracks. Over the years they have seen many bears, deer and coyotes.

Good shot of the bear. Always have your camera and respect the wildlife.