Unfortunately for Revelstoke's curious and hungry bears, it once again won't be a peaceful year with humans.
Latest data provided to Black Press Media by the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) reveals the city has already seen two black bears destroyed, as of June 30.
These deaths, halfway through bear season, come alongside a total 33 bear calls and 24 responses by the BCCOS.
While still too early to draw substantial conclusions, comparison with previous years' data shows BCCOS has so far responded to a higher percentage of black bear reports in 2025.
Out of 91 calls in 2023, officers responded to 43 (47 per cent) and attended 13 (14 per cent). Last year, from a total 101 calls, BCCOS responded to 41 and attended six. This year, officers' response rate has so far hit a substantial 73 per cent, with nine per cent of black bear calls attended.
Revelstoke saw two bears destroyed in 2023, and three last year, making 2025 already a year to reckon with.
Areas around Revelstoke that have already received visits from these furry four-footed friends this year include north of downtown along Victoria Road, Arrow Heights at the base of Mount Mackenzie, Mountain View Cemetery and the Snowforest Campground in lower Mount Revelstoke National Park.
This latest data also shows BCCOS has taken four calls and responded to two instances of grizzly bears, which are known to exist in areas such as Frisby Ridge. Early into this year's bear season, one report described seeing a grizzly heading upstream along the Jordan River.
Last year, just a single call and response occurred for grizzlies in the area, and 2023 had none, according to BCCOS's data.
To keep bear deaths to a minimum, Revelstoke Bear Aware continues to advocate best practices that lessen the odds of these highly-skilled animals becoming habituated to humans and their food sources in local neighbourhoods.
These include securing garbage, removing excess tree fruit, cleaning barbecues, storing away bird feeders, protecting farm animals with fencing, and keeping meat, fish, dairy products, oil, unrinsed eggshells, cooked food or large amounts of fruit out of compost bins.
Anyone who sees a bear in Revelstoke or its environs can visit for details on how to submit an incident report.