Peterborough Police Service Remind Residents On What to Do In Case of Bear Sighting
/After a black bear was reported wandering through the west end of Peterborough on Monday, Peterborough Police Service is reminding residents what they can do if they spot a bear in their area.
A black bear digs for grubs at the edge of the water. Photo courtesy of Dave Ellis.
Call 9-1-1 if it is an emergency situation, otherwise, call the toll-free Be Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327. The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week from Apr. 1 to Nov. 30.
The police consider emergency situations when the bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety and exhibits aggressive behaviour such as:
entering a school yard when school is in session
stalks people and lingers at the site
enters or tries to enter a residence
wanders into a public gathering
kills livestock/pets and lingers at the site
Non-emergency encounters include:
roams around or checks garbage cans
breaks into a shed where garbage or food is stored
is in a tree
pulls down a bird feeder or knocks over a barbecue
moves through a backyard or field but does not linger
