NEWS RELEASE
HURON SHORES
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Attention residents, we have recently been informed of a wandering baby bear in the Mississagi Crescent and Eaket Drive area. Please be advised that the bear will be relocated by Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry on Monday, June 19, 2023. We ask residents to avoid this area if possible. If you are in the area please be aware of your surroundings, keep dogs on a leash, and do not feed the bear.
Who to Contact During a Bear Sighting
Emergency situations call 911 or your local police if a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety and exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour, such as:
- enters a school yard when school is in session
- stalks people and lingers at the site
- enters or tries to enter a residence
- wanders into a public gathering
- kills livestock/pets and lingers at the site
Police will respond first to an emergency situation, but may request assistance from the ministry during daylight hours.
Non-emergency encounters call the toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 or TTY 705-945-7641 if a bear:
- roams around or checks garbage cans
- breaks into a shed where garbage or food is stored
- is in a tree
- pulls down a bird feeder or knocks over a barbecue
- moves through a backyard or field but does not linger
This line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 to November 30.
Do's and Don't During a Bear Encounter
Do
- Slowly back away while keeping the bear in sight and wait for it to leave.
- Throw objects, wave your arms and make noise with a whistle, air horn or yelling if the bear does not leave.
- Prepare to use bear spray.
- Get inside a building or vehicle, if you are nearby, as a precaution.
- Drop any food you may be carrying and slowly move away.
- Leave a bear alone if it is in a tree. Leave the area. The bear will come down when it feels safe.
- Play dead only if you encounter a mother bear with cubs.
Do not
- Run, climb a tree or swim.
- Kneel down.
- Make direct eye contact.
- Approach the bear to get a better look.
- Attempt to feed a bear.
- Let your dog off its leash.
- Play dead unless you are attacked by a mother bear defending her cubs.
Tips to avoid bear encounters
- put garbage in containers that have tight-fitting lids and store it in a bear-proof location such as your basement or a sturdy garage
- put meat scraps in the freezer until garbage day
- frequently wash garbage cans and recycle containers and lids with a strong-smelling disinfectant, such as bleach
- take garbage to the dump often
- put away feeders in the spring and instead, offer birds natural alternatives (for example, flowers, nesting boxes and fresh water)
- pick all ripe and fallen fruit from trees and shrubs on your property
- plant non-fruit bearing trees and shrubs
- do not leave pet food outdoors, in screened-in areas or porches
- keep your dogs on a leash
- check the yard before you let your pets out and watch them while they’re outside
- turn on yard lights at night to scan surroundings before letting your pet out after dark
- when barbequing, burn off food residue and wash the grill right away
- empty the grease trap every time you barbecue
- remove all utensils, dishes and food after eating
- be aware that cooking odours can attract bears
For more information please visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/prevent-bear-encounters-bear-wise.
Read more at https://huronshores.ca/beware-of-bears/
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