CORNWALL/SOUTH STORMONT – Residents in a neighbourhood near the Cornwall-South Stormont boundary are being asked to be careful after a bear sighting this morning (Friday).
The black bear, which SD&G O.P.P. believe is a cub, was roaming around a property on Bruce Street, north of Cornwall Centre Road.
Police say the young bruin was not in danger of harming anyone and area residents, schools and school bus companies have been notified.
The O.P.P. offered the following tips so you and bears can coexist without conflict:
- Store garbage in waste containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Put out garbage only on the morning of pickup.
- Put away bird feeders. Seed, suet and nectar also attract bears.
- Pick fruits and berries as they ripen — don’t let them rot on the ground.
- Clean outdoor barbecue grills after each use, including the grease trap underneath. Bears will be drawn by smells from great distances, including grease and food residue on grills.
- Keep dogs on leash; sometimes bears will follow off-leash dogs back to you.
Bears entering a populated area are only a danger if they pose an immediate threat to your personal safety or that of the general public.
You should call 911 if the bear poses an immediate threat or is aggressive, such as entering a school yard, stalking people, entering a home, wandering into a public gathering or killing livestock or pets.
For other daytime non-emergencies, such as a bear in a tree or just roaming around, you should call the MNR Bear Wise 24-7 hot line at 1-866-514-2327.