HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-09-16, Page 11The Huron Expositor • September 16, 2009 Page 11
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MNR says Huron County needs to learn to live with bears
Cheryl Heath
Chances are Huron County's bear
population sign would read one.
That fact alone is giving at least
one lakeshore cottager pause for con-
cern with regard to her safety.
And that cottager's letter to coun-
cil was part of the reason Huron
County Council imdited a Ministry
of Natural Resources official to its
chambers Wednesday, in order to as-
certain whether the bear is a rogue
to be wary of or more akin to a tour-
ist -friendly photo op.
The answer, according to Mike
Malhiot, is more the latter option
than the former.
Indeed, said Malhiot, it appears
Huron County's lone bear is of the
teenaged variety and is likely only
prowling around these parts in
search of raspberries and bees and
not, as some fear, a human to munch
on.
As Malhiot told it, though Holly-
wood will often depict bears as rav-
enous predators, the truth is a teddy
bear's picnic would be more likely to
earn a G rating.
That is not to say, reported Mal-
hiot, that residents should try and
make nice with bears.
Instead, said Malhiot, caution is
the rule and by following the basic
steps of the province's Bearwise pro-
gram, which includes common-sense
guidelines like properly sealing gar-
bage containers. •
"There are ways olive with them,"
said Malhiot.
As to whether the Ministry can be
expected to come out with dart guns
ablazing every time a bear is spot-
ted, the short answer is no.
Indeed, said Malhiot, thanks to the
new biodiversity -driven legislation
the province's goal is for wildlife and
humans to peacefully coexist rath-
er than outright eradication of any
creature feared to 'be a predator.
Pointing to the example of the hon-
eybee population collapsing and its
subsequent impact on the pollination
of 80 per cent of human -food sources,
Malhiot said people must employ
practices that allow them to peace-
fully coexist with other species.
Further, he noted, the Endangered
Species Act is designed to protect
any plant or animal life threatened
by human activity and it is possible
for bears to fall under that legisla-
tion.
Historically, noted Malhiot, bears
called Huron County home and it
was only development that pushed
them to farther environs like Bruce
County, which has been a known
home to black bears.
As it stands, said Malhiot, Huron
County provides a suitable habitat
for the creature ince there is food
for foraging as well as adequate for-
est cover in some regions, particular •
-
ly along the Maitland River where at
least one bear sighting has been re-
ported.
Nonetheless, said Malhiot, it is the
MNR's belief Huron County is home
to only one bear that likely arrived
here after leaving his mother and be-
ing pushed out by adult male bears
that are territorial.
That being said, said Malhiot, it is
possible the teenaged bear will make
Huron County his permanent home,
and it is also likely other bears will
migrate this way.
It is for that reason, said Malhiot,
that preventative measures rather
than knee-jerk reactionary ones
should be made when bears are spot-
ted.
He added that it falls within they
OPP's purview to handle aggressive
bears while the MNR deals with nui-
sance bears, deemed as those that
repeatedly return to a given property
due to its abundance of food sources.
"Everything they do is related to
food," said Malhiot, noting refrain-
ing from leaving food scraps around
properties would best . serve those
fearful of bears.
Further, said Malhiot, it's impor-
tant for people to remember bears
are just as fearful of two -legged ani-
mals.
"In reality, bears usually run away
from us," he said, adding the only
way bears lose that fear is from re-
peated exposure to humankind.
"It's easy to live with bears as long
as we don't feed them."
Coun. Dave Johnston (Bluewater)
said his concern is for children play-
ing in farm fields or along the shore-
line could be injured because they
are unaware of the rules of dealing
with bears.
Noting he is a hunter who has had
close encounters of the bear kind,
Johnston said he is especially wor-
ried about the possibility of children
coming between a mother bear and
her cubs.
"Whatever you do, don't get be-
tween a sow and its cub," he said.
Malhiot noted Huron County's
bear is believed to be a male or pos-
sibly a couple of males given the vast
geography covered in the sightings.
Though, he added, there is the pos-
sibility a mother bear could move to
this region in the future.
Coun. Neil Rintoul (Ashfield Col-
borne Wawanosh) questioned wheth-
er the province's elimination of the
spring bear hunt has led to an explo-
sion in the bear population.
Malhiot said there is no proven
link between the two events and that
increased sightings are more likely
connected to poor blueberry crops
this season.
Meanwhile, Coun. Dorothy Kel-
ly's (Morris Turnberryuery as to
whether Bearwise programs will be
presented in area schools was met
with a question mark.
Malhiot said the local MNR office
is immersing itself in bear=related
issues for the first time and is receiv-
ing assistance from its neighbouring
bear -savvy offices.
County planner Scott Tousaw
questioned whether the local MNR
would follow Bruce County's lead
with regard to an .
incident in To-
bermory where
a bear found in
the cookies at a
local bakery was
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tranquilized and a tooth - "I'm pre-
suming it was his sweet tooth" - was
removed.
Malhiot said the MNR would likely
be called in to tranquilize the bear in
that kind of scenario.
Noting he is more concerned with
the proliferation of raccoons, skunks
and opossums, Coun. Bill Siemon
(Huron East) questioned whether
the MNR would push for changes to
legislation so that residents can kill
the creatures that are wiping out the
region's songbird population.
"They're not controlled any more,"
said Siemon.
"I don't have a good answer to that
question," said Malhiot, noting, how-
ever, that property owners do have a
right to destroy animals that are a
nuisance.
Those spotting bears are encour-
aged to report sightings to the MNR
at 1$66 514-2327. In the event of an
emergency, dial 911.
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