NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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MIDLAND - Members of the Southern Georgian Bay Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) would like to make residents aware of some Bear Wise safety information after a adult black bear and a cub were spotted in Midland.
On June 14, 2019 at 2 a.m. officers responded to a complaint of an adult black bear on King Street in the vicinity of Lakeview Cemetery on King Street and an officer on patrol also observed a black bear cub in Little Lake Park.
The OPP and MNRF would like to remind residents that black bears live in most parts of Ontario.
Most human-bear encounters occur when bears are attracted by smells, so removing potential attractants will help avoid unwarranted visitors. Knowing what to do if you come across a bear - and keeping your property free of bear attractants - is being Bear Wise.
Avoid encounters:
- Bears have a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing however their eyesight is limited so it is important to make noise when you move through heavily wooded areas which will alert the bear to your presence.
- Singing, whistling or talking will alert bears to your presence, giving them a chance to avoid you.
- Keep your eyes and ears open for signs of a bear like tracks, claw marks on trees or droppings.
- DO NOT wear headphones.
- Be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are doing activities outside (i.e. hiking, jogging, cycling, gardening, berry picking or camping) where bears may not realize you are there.
- If you are out with a dog, keep it on a leash. Uncontrolled, untrained dogs may actually lead a bear to you.
If you do spot a bear:
- Slowly back away while keeping the bear in sight.
- If you are near a building or vehicle, get inside as precaution.
- Notify the police.
This time of year sees more bears coming into urban areas in search of food, but not every bear sighting is an emergency situation. MNRF staff work closely with OPP officers by supporting them with training on how to effectively deal with bears.
Call 911 or your local police service if a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety. In non-emergency encounters, call the toll-free Bear Wise Reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 (TTY 705-945-7641) for advice on dealing with bears in the community and to report bear sightings.
Please view the attached links for more information about bears and how to prevent encounters. Visit ontario.ca/bearwise for more information or view the attachments.
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