Regina Leader-Post Staff
A black bear weighing around 200 pounds was on the loose in central Regina early Monday morning.
The bear was reported near the intersection of Victoria Avenue and Montreal Street, according to an email from Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety in response to a Leader-Post inquiry.
The Regina Police Service (RPS) says it received a call to the area around 4:20 a.m.
The ministry email says police were first on scene and reported the bear was up a tree.
Conservation officers later arrived with a “chemical immobilization kit” in order to sedate the animal and “relocate” it outside of the city, says the email.
However, it goes on to state that “due to complications” the officers had to make the difficult decision to take the bear outside of the city where it could be euthanized.
‘A difficult and complex task’
“Immobilizing and relocating a large animal is a difficult and complex task. Officers have a high rate of success but sometimes the outcome for the animal is not the one we hope for,” reads the ministry email.
It goes on to advise that if anyone encounters a bear, they should keep their distance and not try to scare the animal away.
“Make a wide detour, calmly back away, speak in low tones and don’t look directly at the bear. Most often, the animals will move on without any intervention.”
It also notes that if a bear is “repeatedly doing damage” or if a person has an aggressive encounter with a bear, a call should be made to the RCMP or the Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561.
