Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship is reminding people to Be Bear Smart in or near bear country as black bears are beginning to emerge from their dens.
Manitobans and visitors returning to cottage country this spring should be aware bears are attracted to anything they consider food around homes, cottages, parks, campsites and communities.
Be Bear Smart is Manitoba’s education and awareness public safety campaign designed to help reduce negative interactions between humans and bears. The key to being bear smart is simple ? remove anything that may attract a black bear.
The Be Bear Smart program encourages people to eliminate or secure anything with a scent that could attract a bear. These preventive measures will help stop bears from associating residences and campsites with an easy meal:
- Never approach or feed a bear.
- Take down all bird feeders between April and November. Birds really don’t need the food and bears are very attracted to the scent.
- Make sure garbage is secure.
- Double bag garbage and place it in a bear-resistant container, secured building or fenced area. Be sure to seal it so that odours do not escape. When bear proofing, remember that if it can be pried open with a crowbar, it’s not bear proof.
- Clean garbage containers regularly with bleach or ammonia to eliminate odours.
- Take garbage with you when leaving your home or cottage, or ask a neighbour to put out the garbage for you just before pickup.
- Put garbage bags in the container just before garbage pickup, not the night before.
- Don’t burn garbage.
- Clean and store barbecues after use.
- Keep pets under control to reduce the chances of them encountering a bear. Dogs can draw bears back to a residence or individual.
- Feed pets indoors and never leave food dishes outdoors.
- In the summer, remove all ripened or fallen fruit daily in the morning and before dusk.
These measures also apply to other wildlife species that can be a problem, such as raccoons, squirrels and deer.
Bears are wild animals and must be respected. When in bear country, people should assume bears are in the vicinity even if no recent problems have been reported. Remember to carry bear spray and know how to use it. Be aware of your surroundings, walk or jog in groups, make noise, keep dogs on a leash and at heel, and do not use ear phones to listen to music.
More information on how to Be Bear Smart is available at www.manitoba.ca/blackbear.
