Whistler Mountain resident mother black bear Brownie with one of two six-month-old cubs grazing up through a clover patch. Six females have produced 11 cubs in the ski area with a 100 per cent survival rate so far. Another three females produced an additional seven cubs for a minimum total of 18 cubs for Whistler. A couple of weeks remain in the breeding season, with little mating behavior seen in July. Male bears were significantly less aggressive to females with cubs during June than last June when we lost six cubs - possibly because more girlfriends were available than in 2009. Bears are working up through mid-mountain elevations now, grazing green-up and feeding on concentrations of ants and bees. Berries are ripening in the valley but are scattered and at low abundance due to frost damage and low pollination during our cold spring. Berries at mid-mountain will not ripen until mid-August and high elevation berries will not ripen until mid-late September. Ripening is weather-dependent. People should prepare for increased bear activity with sharp spikes during August and September.