With summer in full swing, the City of Prince Albert and the Government of Saskatchewan are asking the public to be cautious about bears.
The City said it’s received reports of bear sightings on the trails of Little Red River Park. The provincial government said with a healthy black bear population in Saskatchewan, it’s not unusual to see them at this time of the year because they’re looking for food and follow new scents.
That’s why it’s important to properly store food and garbage.
“Bears are ruled by their stomachs and are intelligent animals,” said the news release. “If they cannot find food, they will leave the area.”
If bears are fed, they lose their natural fear of humans and can become a public safety concern.
The Ministry of Environment gave a few tips for how you can remove bear attractants, reducing the number of bears that have to be euthanized or relocated each year:
- Store garbage in a secure building or buy a bear-resistant container. Only put the bin out on the morning of collection.
- Avoid leaving pet food accessible to wildlife.
- Only use bird feeders in the winter when bears are hibernating and natural bird food is limited.
- Properly clean and store barbecue grills after each use.
If a bear is repeatedly doing damage in your community, or you have an aggressive encounter with a bear, contact your local Ministry of Environment office or call the Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561 or from your SaskTel cell phone at #5555.
