A bear was sighted in this village on the morning of May 23.
OPP Constable Keith Robb reported that at about 5:30am, county OPP officers were called to a residence at 74 Thomas Boulevard because someone reported a bear in the area.
Then Marie Wright, who lives at the north end of John Street, was looking out her window at about 7am when she saw the bear climb over her fence, run across the back yard, and scoot into a bush located between her home and that of Dan Stumpf.
Wright said she was looking out her window and saw a police officer approaching through a subdivision across the road, and wondered what was going on, and then the bear appeared.
“There’s this bear, hopping my fence,” she said. “It was quite the sight.”
Wright said her dog was in the house and did not appear to be disturbed, but she later learned that her neighbour had taken their dog for a walk and it had behaved oddly, pricking its ears, and being reluctant to walk in a certain direction.
Robb said officers located the black bear, which was young and weighed about 70 to 80 lbs.
The officers tracked the bear throughout most of the day, and the schools in Elora were asked to keep students indoors during the day while the chase was on.
Robb said officers made several efforts to contact someone to help trap it.
Conservation Officers from the Ministry of Natural Resources were called to the scene and there were efforts to trap the bear.
But, Robb said, after several unsuccessful attempts to trap it, officials reached a decision that they would have to destroy the bear for public safety. The body was then removed from the area.
No one was injured during the incident.
Wright, though, noted what many residents from Elora and Salem were thinking. She wondered at a lone bear, particularly a young one, being alone.
“I’m a little bit nervous, in case there is another one around,” she admitted.
Robb said the police have some safety tips to keep in mind with bears:
Be careful with food smells. Store all foods in plastic. If approached by a bear, drop any food you have to the ground and walk away.
If possible, make plenty of noise, especially on blind curves, in dense vegetation or areas with limited vision.
Be conscious of the wind – bears have an excellent sense of smell. If the wind is at your back, chances are a bear will smell you and leave the area well before you reach it. If the wind is blowing in your face, your chances of an encounter greatly increase. Also, in high wind situations or along creeks and streams, a bear might not hear you coming or you might not hear it.
Dead animal carcass – If you come upon a dead animal carcass, immediately leave the area. Bears will often feed on a carcass for days and also stay in the area to protect their food.
Bear cubs – If you see a bear cub, chances are the sow is not far away. Female bears will fiercely defend their young, so it is best to leave the area immediately and find an alternative route.
Keep dogs under control – dogs can lead an angry bear back to you.
Robb added that when bears are known to be in the vicinity, “We advise not to travel alone. Invite a friend. It is always safer to travel in groups, if possible.
Robb added, parents should alert their children to the danger of bears and advise them to stay away from them.
