Manitoba Conservation is reminding people with homes, cottages or campsites to practise safety in areas where bears are present.
Manitobans are encouraged to eliminate, seal or secure anything with a bear attracting scent. Bears will be less attracted to residences, cottages or campsites if these practices are followed:
• Never approach or feed a bear.
• Take down all bird feeders between April and November.
• Double bag garbage and place it in a bear-resistant container, secured building or fenced area. Be sure to seal it in a way that will not allow odours to escape. When bear proofing, remember if it can be pried open with a crow bar, it’s not bear proof.
• Clean garbage containers regularly with bleach or ammonia to stop odours.
• Take garbage with you when leaving your home or cottage, or ask a neighbour to put out the garbage for you prior to pickup.
• When practical, freeze garbage in bags and put the bags in the container just before garbage pickup and not the night before.
• Do not burn garbage.
• Do not compost any food items.
• Clean and store barbecues after each use.
• Feed pets indoors and keep pet food dishes indoors.
• Remove all ripened or fallen fruit in the morning and before dusk.
There have been a few reported bear incidents this year. Garbage, bird feeders and fruit trees continue to be the main reasons why bears come into contact with people.
Bears are wild animals and must be respected. When in bear country, people should always assume bears are in the vicinity even if no recent sightings or problems have been reported. Keeping attractants to a minimum will allow people and bears to continue to reduce human-bear encounters.
More information is available at www.manitoba.ca/blackbear.
