Black bears and grizzly bears
The deep guide: how to tell them apart, what they're doing through the year, and exactly what to do if you meet one. Calm, practical, and written for the Sunshine Coast.
In a hurry? The one-minute version
- Never run from any bear. Back away slowly, talking calmly.
- Black bear approaches you: stand your ground, get big, make noise, fight back if it makes contact.
- Grizzly makes contact: play dead — lie flat, hands over your neck. Only fight back if the attack continues.
- Carry bear spray on the trail and know how to use it.
- Most bear visits end on their own once there's nothing to eat.
Tell them apart — don't trust the colour
Despite the name, black bears on the coast are often brown, cinnamon, or even blonde. Colour alone will fool you. Look at the shape instead.
Black bear
- No shoulder hump. The back is fairly level; the rump is the highest point.
- Straight face profile — a "Roman nose" from forehead to nose tip.
- Taller, pointier ears that stand up off the head.
- Short, curved claws (about 4 cm) built for climbing trees.
- Tracks: toes in a neat arc, small claw marks close to the toes.
Grizzly bear
- A clear shoulder hump — a mound of digging muscle between the shoulders.
- Dished face — the profile dips in between forehead and nose.
- Small, rounded ears that look fuzzy and close to the head.
- Long, straight claws (5–10 cm) built for digging.
- Tracks: claw marks far ahead of the toes, in a straighter line.
Why it matters on the Sunshine Coast
Black bears are our everyday neighbours here. Grizzlies are rare visitors — young bears sometimes swim across from the mainland inlets, which is why confirmed grizzly sightings like the recent Gibsons one make the news. A grizzly on the coast is unusual, under real pressure, and deserves extra space.
What they're doing through the year
Spring (March–May): hungry and thin
Bears come out of the den having lost up to a third of their body weight. They eat grass, sedges, and skunk cabbage, and they'll investigate anything that smells like food. Sows emerge with new cubs — give any bear with little ones a very wide berth.
Summer (June–August): berries and daylight
Bears spread out into berry patches and along creeks. Encounters happen most at dawn and dusk. This is when trail reports matter most — check the map before you head out.
Fall (September–November): the big eat
Hyperphagia — bears eat 20+ hours a day to build fat for winter. This is peak season for reports: fruit trees, garbage day, and compost bins draw bears into neighbourhoods. A bear defending a food source is more likely to stand its ground, so securing attractants in fall does more than anything else you can do.
Winter (December–February): mostly denning
Most bears den up, but on the mild coast some stay active all winter, especially if food is available. A winter sighting usually means an attractant nearby.
If you meet a black bear
- At a distance: stay calm, talk in a low voice so it knows you're human, and back away the way you came. Give it an escape route — most bears leave on their own.
- If it approaches: stand your ground. Make yourself big — raise your arms, open your jacket, group together. Speak firmly and make noise. Black bears that approach people are usually testing for food, and confident people are not worth the trouble.
- If it makes contact: fight back with everything you have — bear spray, rocks, sticks, fists. Aim for the face and nose. Do not play dead with a black bear.
- Never: run (triggers a chase), climb a tree (black bears climb better than you), or drop your pack as a distraction near town (it teaches the bear that people equal food).
If you meet a grizzly
- At a distance: quietly leave the area the way you came. Do not approach for a photo. A grizzly's personal space is much larger than a black bear's.
- If it notices you: talk calmly, wave your arms slowly, and back away diagonally — never straight at it, never running. Have your bear spray in hand.
- If it charges: many charges are bluffs that stop short. Use bear spray when the bear is within about 10 metres. Do not run.
- If it makes contact: play dead. Lie flat on your stomach, legs spread, hands clasped over the back of your neck, and stay silent until you're sure the bear has left. If the attack continues for more than a minute or two, or the bear seems to be stalking you as prey, fight back hard.
Mothers, cubs, and the cub alone
A cub by itself is not an orphan — yet
Mother bears routinely leave cubs tucked in a tree or brush while they forage nearby, sometimes for hours. A lone cub is usually being watched. Do not approach it, touch it, or "rescue" it — that's how cubs get habituated and mothers get defensive. Note the area, report it, and keep people and dogs away. If a cub is still alone after 24 hours, call the Conservation Officer Service.
A mother with cubs
This is the most dangerous common situation. Never get between a mother and her cubs, even accidentally — if cubs are on one side of the trail and you don't see the mother, back out immediately. Keep dogs leashed: a dog that runs at a cub and then back to you brings the mother with it.
Bear spray — the tool that works
Carry it, don't bury it
Bear spray stops the vast majority of aggressive encounters — more reliably than any other tool, including firearms. Carry it on your hip or chest strap, not in your pack. Check the expiry date, practice drawing it, and aim slightly downward in a cloud between you and the bear at about 10 metres. See the bear spray guide for the full walkthrough.
Keep bears wild at home
A fed bear is a dead bear — habituated bears are the ones Conservation Officers have to destroy. Most of this is in your hands:
- Put garbage out the morning of collection, never the night before.
- Pick fruit as it ripens and clean up windfalls — one apple tree feeds a bear all fall.
- Take bird feeders down from spring through fall.
- Clean the barbecue after every use and store pet food indoors.
- Manage compost carefully — no meat, fish, or dairy.
- Lock cars and don't leave coolers visible; bears open doors.
When to call for help
A bear that is aggressive, breaking into buildings, or refusing to leave is a job for the Conservation Officer Service, not the neighbourhood. Call the RAPP line, 24 hours:
Call RAPP: 1-877-952-7277WildWatch BC is for awareness between neighbours. Emergencies always go to the professionals.