As the warmer weather slowly makes its way into Haliburton County, OPP and the Ministry of Natural Resources are reminding people to take precautions as bears come out of hibernation.
To prevent attracting bears, you can take the following precautions:
- Store garbage in waste containers with tight fitting lids
- Put out garbage only on the morning of pickup
- Take down bird feeders. Seed, suet and nectar attract bears
- Pick fruit and berries as they ripen, don’t let them rot on the ground
- Clean outdoor barbecue grills after each use, including grease traps. Bears are attracted to the smells from far away.
OPP also want to remind people that bears in populated areas aren’t necessarily a threat to public safety. For information on what situations are emergencies or non emergencies, click here.
For non emergencies, people can call the 24/7 Bear Reporting Line at 1-866-514-2327. If a bear poses an immediate threat to your safety by exhibiting signs of aggressive or threatening behaviour, call 911 or local police.