Elgin OPP are cautioning Central Elgin residents of a potential black bear sighting in Belmont.
Friday evening, a resident on Kettle Creek Drive captured video footage of an animal, which resembled a black bear, in a neighbour’s tree.
There are no immediate concerns for public safety but Elgin OPP are advising residents on how to respond in the event of a bear sighting.
For Emergency Situations:
Call 9-1-1.
If a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety and exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour, such as:
- enters a school yard when school is in session,
- stalks people and lingers at the site,
- enters or tries to enter a residence,
- wanders into a public gathering,
- kills livestock/pets and lingers at the site.
For Non-emergency Situations:
Call the toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327. Non-emergent behaviours include:
- roams around or checks garbage cans,
- breaks into a shed where garbage or food is stored,
- is in a tree,
- pulls down a bird feeder or knocks over a barbecue,
- moves through a backyard or field but does not linger.
In the instance of an emergency, police would be the initial responder to the site and would need to contact the Provincial Communications Unit / BearWise reporting line (1-866-514-2327) to request assistance. It is important to remember that to receive Ministry Natural Resources and Forestry (MNFR) support at the scene and MUST be notified through the BearWise reporting line that police services are requesting MNRF assistance. Once MNRF is in communication with the police services responding to the situation we will be able to work in conjunction to determine an appropriate course of action.
In the instance of a non-emergency situation provide information regarding the situation (what was the bear doing, when it was seen, location and your contact information) to the BearWise reporting line as this staff is trained to ensure that the information is directed to the appropriate MNRF staff for a timely response. The MNRF monitors the occurrence of non-emergency black bear sightings for trends in locations or escalating sightings. All BearWise calls are documented within the Bear Incident and Response Tracking Application (BIRTA) which is monitored regularly and used to track and manage black bears. In addition, MNRF staff contact the reporting individuals to provide education and advice on how prevent black bear conflicts and remain safe.
The BearWise website is a valuable tool for not only the public but police forces and MNRF staff to learn about black bears. It covers who to call in emergency and non-emergency situations, what to do if you encounter a bear, bear biology and behaviours and preventing conflicts through the reduction of attractants.
For more information visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/prevent-bear-encounters-bear-wise
