EABAMETOONG FIRST NATION, Ont. – During a winter when temperatures are dropping below – 40C, it’s not uncommon to want to hibernate until spring. It’s a handy and smart strategy utilized by several animals to avoid the cold. But several members of Eabametoong First Nation are braving the frigid weather to help one animal that does not appear to be hibernating this year.
A black bear has been spotted wandering around the community, particularly near the garbage dump at night. With temperatures expected to feel like – 46C with the wind-chill (Wednesday night) in Eabametoong, several community members, including Mary Okeese and Clara Wabano, have taken it upon themselves to try and help the bear.
“We weren’t really worried until the first day of winter,” Okeese said. “We started to get worried because when you see the bear, it is only sighted at night, and he walks slowly and I think his paws are frozen because we’ve been having minus 40 weather here with the wind-chill.”
As a way to help, several people constructed a den near the area where the bear has been spotted. Made by digging a hole five to six feet in the snow, and using brush and branches, food scraps have been placed inside to entice the bear to utilize the shelter.
“We don’t know if the bear has a cave or is just laying around anywhere,” Okeese said. “There is a lot of mixed feelings here in the community. Some people want to put it out of its misery, while others, like us, want to help him out. We are hoping somebody can pick him up and take him to a zoo or something.”
The entire community has been pitching in, providing left over food scraps from large Christmas dinners to include in the makeshift den.
According to Wabano, seeing the bear still wandering around in the snow, with snow covering its fur, is something unheard of in the community of approximately 1,000 people.
“We spoke with elders this morning, and as far as she recalled, she has never seen a bear out in the winter,” Wabano added.
Wabano said she has been in contact with a woman from an animal rescue shelter in Sault Ste. Marie who helps the community with stray dogs and has attempted to contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry but has not received a reply yet.
For Wabano and Okeese, the decision to try and help the bear was not a difficult one to make.
“It doesn’t feel good, watching and looking at the bear, it’s sad,” Okeese said.
“For me, bears are one of our God’s creatures,” Wabano added. “Up north, we harvest what we can, what is given to us to eat. We consider all the animals as God’s creatures. We don’t eat bear. We just feel sorry for the bear and the condition he is in. He shouldn’t be suffering like that.”
As for whether or not the bear decides to use this hand-made den, Wabano and Okeese are keeping their fingers crossed.
“We will find out tonight to see if he is going to fall for it,” Okeese said.
“We will be praying,” Wabano added.
