A mother bear and her two cubs were relocated to the wild this morning after municipal bylaw enforcement officers and OPP officers responded to their sighting in town yesterday.
Shortly after 2 p.m., the three bruins were reported eating some garbage behind a residence on the 800 block of Nelson Street, OPP Cst. Caroline Spencer said this morning.
Police and town bylaw officers were called to the scene to round up the bears.
Since the mother bear was treed, it took several hours to tranquilize it, get it down from the tree, and then get all three into a trailer for transport.
Town bylaw enforcement officers relocated the bears this morning.
Cst. Spencer said no one was hurt in the incident. “But there’s always a potential for that,” she warned.
She added the public should be well aware of the possibility of spotting bears in town limits during the summer, and take precautions to dissuade them from wandering into their yards.
Some tips include:
•clean up any garbage in your yard;
•close dumpster lids;
•burn off the grills after barbecuing;
•don’t compost with open containers; and
•leave the bears alone—remember, they’re wild and highly unpredictable.
People going to the dump also should always be cautious of bears when disposing garbage there.
Residents are urged not to go to the landfill just to see the bears.
Those with bear complaints are directed to call the town’s bylaw department during the day (274-5323) or the OPP’s communications centre (1-888-310-1122) after hours.
When reporting a bear, complainants should be prepared to provide the following information:
•the location of the bear;
•number of times the bear has been sighted;
•time(s) of day the bear is sighted;
•possible attractants in area (birdfeeder, garbage, etc.); and
•what, if any, property damage occurred.
After a report is made, a bylaw officer and/or police may attend the scene, depending on the circumstances.
Authorities then either will deploy a live trap, immobilize and remove the bear, or destroy it if necessary.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
