Be Bear Wise As Spring Arrives

With the spring weather finally here, bears are coming out of hibernation. The potential for human-bear interactions increases in the spring when there are less natural food sources available to them. This is when food sources, such as garbage and bird feed, can draw bears into populated areas.

Here are a few things you can do to help reduce the chance of attracting bears:
•    Ensure garbage is stored in waste containers with tight-fitting lids;
•    Put out garbage, recycling and green carts only on the morning of your waste pickup day;
•    Put away winter bird feeders, seed and suet;
•    Clean outdoor barbecue grills after each use, including the grease trap.

The Report-A-Bear website is a peer-to-peer online mapping tool available to residents to share information about bear sightings within Greater Sudbury. Residents are invited to log on to www.greatersudbury.ca/bears to provide details of bear sightings including date, time, location, number and other details. Bear sightings may also be noted by emailing bear@greatersudbury.ca or by calling 705-674-4455, extension BEAR (2327) and leaving a detailed message. 

If a bear is posing an immediate threat to personal or public safety, call 911. 

For tips on preventing bear encounters visit www.ontario.ca/bearwise.

2019 Report-a-Bear Statistics

• In 2019, there were 244 reports of bear sightings on the City’s Report-A-Bear map. This is a decrease of 104 reports from 2018.  
• 2019 had the lowest number of bear sightings since the map launched in 2016 (down 76%).
• 35% of reports received in 2019 were received on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• May and June saw the most reports for the year, accounting for 51% of reports in 2019.

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