Black bears making bold appearances in HRM
Posted Jun 14, 2010 02:26:55 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Residents living near Kearney Lake and the Princess Lodge area say a bear has been roaming around their neighbourhoods.
“Well, I got up and went out to the kitchen and I looked out into my backyard, and there was a bear laying on my patio,” says Greg MacKay who lives on Lodge Drive. “He was eating sunflower seeds from the bird feeder.”
It’s the first time MacKay has ever seen a bear in his backyard. It eventually took off into the woods near Hemlock Ravine park.
John Moore is the commodore of the Maskqa Aquatic Club on Kearney Lake. A bear was spotted in that area on the weekend has he has some concerns.
“The big concern, of course, is with all the people and all the residents around Saskatoon Drive and the members of Maskwa,” says Moore. “And we also have trail hikers going in behind us.”
Area councillor Debbie Hum says the department of natural resources has been contacted, but she wants people in the area to be wary.
Jennie Costello with the department of natural resources says the best defence against bears it to make sure your property doesn’t have any food sources for bears. She says bears like bird feed, as well as rummaging through compost bins.
“Because the bottom line with all bears is that they’re just trying to find something to eat,” says Costello.
She says if you encounter a bear you should back away slowly. However if you’re in MacKay’s situation, Costello says stay in your house and make some noise.
“From the safety of inside your house, you could always go to an upstairs window and open the window and bang some pots together,” she says. “Or throw a tennis ball at the bear if it’s up on your deck.”
She says if you see a bear you should call the department of natural resources so they can track where they are showing up.
