The Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding residents and tourists what to do if you sight a bear around residences, cottages, campgrounds and while hiking.
Call 911 or your local police if a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety and exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour, such as:
- enters 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.
Police will respond only to emergency situations.
For non-emergency situations, call the toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 if a bear:
- 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.
For more information visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/prevent-bear-encounters-bear-wise
