Sault bear watchers keep an eye on spike in bruin sightings
If you go out in the woods these days you’re sure for a big surprise -- but lately, ‘every bear that ever there was’ have been popping up in more urban environments.
Northerners have noticed that in recent weeks, when bear sightings have been a regular occurrence.
It’s a busy time of year for young bears, and that means sightings in urban centres across the north are rising.
“It's also the bears’ mating season,” said Amanda Artuso, creator of Sault Ste. Marie Bear Watch.
“So right now you're seeing the mothers, or the sows, chase off their yearling cubs because they're in time just to breed this year's cubs.”
It means a lot of activity on Facebook pages like Artuso’s SSM BEAR WATCH, where people inform others when one of the animals is nearby.
“It's necessary,” Artuso said.
As many northerners have noticed in recent weeks, bear sightings have been a regular occurrence. (Photo from video)
“You know, people have small children outside and they happen to notice that, you know, there's a bear in the area because I do ask for people to post location or approximate and include the time.”
Danielle Perrault recently had a surprise visitor rummaging around her back porch, which she caught on camera. She noticed it the next morning.
“We heard a lot of dogs barking and that, eh?” Perrault said.
“So I'm going through them and I'm going ‘yeah, there he is, he’s sniffing around’ and he didn't bother anything. He just sniffed around.”
Perrault said it has her worried about an even closer call and she’s more cautious when venturing outside.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“That's why I look out my window,” she said.
“If I have to come out here, water the plants and that, and I'm looking all around and making sure nobody's around.”
For tips to stay safe, residents can visit the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s website, which also has the number to call to report an encounter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.