With the summer season in gear, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment reminded all residents in the province to be bear aware.
Bears are often seen in the wild in the early summer, when these animals are establishing new territories during at this time of the year.
Saskatchewan has a healthy black bear population mostly in the northern boreal areas of the province, as these animals prefer dense forests.
Black bears require sizeable quantities of sustenance, especially in the autumn when they are building up their fat reserves to subsist through hibernation. Their favoured habitats include areas with thick underbrush, where berry and nut-bearing plants flourish.
Bears are also often found near valleys and waterways, where food sources are abundant.
In the search for food, bears are enticed by unfamiliar scents.
Bears have been known to ramble across communities and campgrounds, so proper food storage, cooking methods and garbage handling are essential for safe camping in bear country.
Bears are intelligent, but their stomachs dictate their lives – if they can’t locate food, they’ll depart from the area.
Bears that have been fed have lost their natural fear of humans. When bears correlate food with humans, they’ve become a public safety concern.
The ministry encouraged people to be bear aware by removing bear attractants in their areas, in the effort to reduce the number of euthanized or relocated bears each year.
Store rubbish in secure buildings or purchase bear-resistant containers. In areas where bears dwell, remember to place garbage bins out during collection times.
Avoid leaving pet food in areas where it’s accessible to wildlife.
Only use bird feeders in the winter when bears are hibernating and natural bird foods are limited.
Remember to clean and store barbeque grills after each use.
If bears are frequently creating damage in communities, or if anyone has had an aggressive encounter with a bear, contact the local Ministry of Environment office, or call the Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561, or from a SaskTel cell phone at #5555.
Additional information about bear safety is available at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2020/july/09/be-bear-aware.
