iN PHOTOS: Teddy bear picnics in Okanagan, Kamloops

Black bears are living all around us in the Okanagan and Kamloops whether in the wild or urban spaces.

BC has some of highest populations of them in the world and most of the province is considered bear country with estimates of them ranging from 120,000 to 150,000, according to WildSafeBC. 

The animals are adaptable and thrive in the wild in a wide variety of ecosystems, and much of their time is spent eating.

Black bears are omnivorous and vegetation makes up roughly 80% of their diet. Thanks to their great sense of smell, they are capable of finding food from far away.

Often the bears are seen eating out of garbage cans where they can become more aggressive after associating food with humans, accounting for upwards of 25,000 calls to the BC Conservation Officer Service every year.

However, the bears are perfectly peaceful eating in the wild as evidenced by this collection of incredible photographs taken this spring and summer by area wildlife photographers.

If you have amazing wildlife photos, send them to news@infonews.ca.