Residents urged to bear-proof their neighbourhoods

The long winter could make for a busy spring for nuisance bear calls, but the Greater Sudbury Police are hoping residents will do what they can to minimize the problems.

Const. Bert Lapalme said garbage left outside at night is a major draw for the starving bears emerging from hibernating all winter.

"If they don't find natural foods in the woods, definitely they're coming out, they're hungry, it's been a long winter,” Lapalme said. “We just need to do our part not to make food available for them."

Simple steps like putting garbage at the curb the morning of collection day can prevent the bruins from wandering into residential neighbourhoods, he said.

So far this spring, the force has received five bear calls, the first coming March 18 and the most recent April 1. Three of the five calls came from Third Avenue in Sudbury, a residential area surrounded by bush.

"Hopefully, word gets out that we can all do a little bit to prevent them from coming into to our neighbourhoods," Lapalme said. "They apparently have a great memory and if they find an unnatural source of food, they are tempted to come back."

Garbage isn't the only source of bear food. Bird feeders are also a popular target, and the animals won't hesitate to eat your dog's food if you leave it outside. Cleaning your barbecue is important, too.
"Because they will come into (your yard) and they will come back," he said.

Police have some tips for residents who do encounter bears:

– Remain calm. Often the bear is just passing through. If it doesn’t find a food source, it will move on.

– Drop any food you are carrying. Empty your pockets, drop your lunch or knapsack to the ground.

– Slowly back away. Don’t turn your back and do not run.

– Warn others to keep away. Make loud noises.

– Tell your neighbours a bear is in the area.

Bears may display defensive behaviours towards humans if:

- It's scared, intimidated or harassed (for example, a person or dog enters its personal space).

- It's defending itself, its food (carcass, garbage) or their cubs;
- The bear’s escape route is cut off.

To report a non-emergency bear problem, call the Bear Wise reporting line, 1-866-514-2327, now until Nov. 30. Residents should call 911 only if there's an emergency, Lapalme said.

"If you see a bear, and it's 100 feet away, there's no one at risk, you're not near a school, the kids are not out, eventually it will go back to where its from,” he said. “So there's no need at that time to contact the police service."

Ontario is home to about 105,000 black bears, according to statistics from the Ministry of Natural Resources. For more information, go to: www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/report-bear-problem-bear-wise.