Bear reports in area ‘above average’

Officials are reminding people to be vigilant and to keep an eye out for bears.

According to Rich Hildebrand, a conservation officer for the province, reports of bears venturing off the beaten path and coming near the public are above average this year.

“Those [reports] are coming in fairly regularly so our officers have been responding to those calls,” Hildebrand said.

As it is early in the summer, Hildebrand said most of the bears are likely out hunting for different food sources as they wait for berry bushes to ripen. Many of the calls have been for young, juvenile bears.

On Canada Day long weekend, it was reported a black bear made its way to a bakery in Waskesiu following, what many believe, was the scent of fresh cinnamon buns. This was apparently a repeat offending bear who previously passed by the bakery and nabbed macaroni salad.

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“They are looking for a good food source,” he said. “The berries are starting to get going and once that happens, they will go back to some of their natural food sources.”

He stressed people should never feed bears and urged vigilance when cleaning campsites. 

Most bears follow natural wildlife corridors like rivers and valleys when out and about but occasionally wander off the trial. This can lead to conflict between people and properties. Hildebrand said if one does stumble across a bear, people should stay calm and not play dead or attempt to engage the bear in any way. He suggested people should back away slowly, talk in low, steady tones and not to look the bear in the eyes as it might feel threatened. 

“If they bear keeps coming, drop anything you are carrying. Mostly black bears [are in the province]. They may feel threatened but they do not tend to attack. A majority will just avoid humans,” he said.

If out on a trail, he suggested people leash their dog to avoid aggravating a nearby bear and to always be watching and listening for any potential signs of bear. He made note that bears are “wild animals” and “can be unpredictable” and need to be treated with that respect.

Hildebrand did not know of any recent incidents where bears needed to be put down for coming too close to humans in Prince Albert.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr