A captured Port Berry Bear has been relocated to Bancroft.
Durham Police were called around 7 AM about a juvenile Bear roaming around the neighbourhood. It eventually stopped across from Port Perry High School. That’s where Police first tried to tranquilize it, but the dart broke off when it hit the Bear. The Bear ran off after that and climbed up a tree. Around 11:30, after firefighters and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Foresty showed up, they were able to tranquilize the Bear and get it down safely. The Bear was then taken by the MNRF to their Aurora office for examination and tagging.
The Bear was released in the MNRF’s Bancroft district last week. Bear Management Technician with the MNRF Jordan Beatty says that because this Bear is juvenile, it will be less likely to return to the area where it was caught. He says the Bear was released in a large, remote area far away from downtown.
Beatty says that if you ever do wake-up to find a Bear in your backyard, you need to remain calm, stay inside, don’t block the Bear’s exit and call the Police.
Beatty reminds you that if you ever do come face-to-face with a Bear to slowly back away, make noise, throws rocks or sticks and make yourself look as big as possible. He says it’s most important to stay calm and to not run. He added that while Bear attacks are rare, it’s important to know what to do if you do come into contact with one.
If you want to learn more about Bear safety, visit Ontario’s Bear safety page here.