Black Bear Cubs Sent to Sanctuary After Schreiber OPP Respond to Bear in Restaurant
Black bear on Highway 614, Northwestern Ontario June 2013. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com
TERRACE BAY, ON – On Wednesday, September 7, 2016 members of the Schreiber Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a report of a bear entering a restaurant in Terrace Bay. Police attended and located a sow and two cubs. The bears had entered a rear door of the open and occupied restaurant and were causing damage. Employees were able to close an inside door, preventing the bears from entering the customer area of the restaurant. Customers were then evacuated safely from the restaurant.
Unfortunately the sow had to be dispatched by police. Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) Bear Technicians were able to trap the cub bears and locate them to a bear sanctuary.
The public is reminded to take precautions about attracting bears while outdoors and not to approach or attempt to interact with bears. Further information can be found on the MNRF website.
Black bears have “opportunistic” food habits; they will take advantage of any food source as they only have a short time to find as much food as possible before hibernation. Bears use their keen sense of smell to find food and then continuously return to the source of where food can be found.
Anyone wishing to report a nuisance bear is reminded to call the Ministry of Natural Resources Nuisance Bear hotline at 1-866-514-2327. For issues of public safety contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122.
