With black bear season beginning in Ontario, the provincial government is calling for hunters to save the teeth from their kills.
Ontario Fish and Wildlife is asking people to send the teeth of black bears to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
The ministry uses the teeth to determine the bear’s age, helping it assess how sustainable black bear hunting is and control the population.
Officials say to include your Ontario Outdoors Card number when submitting teeth because anyone that does will get a special commemorative crest and the age of the bear killed in the mail.
The bear’s sex and the wildlife management unit where it was killed must also be included in any submissions.
The provincial government website has a guide for which teeth should be removed and where to send them.
With files from Steve Bedard