Police are reminding residents of North Durham to take precautions after a black bear sighting in Scugog yesterday morning.
Police say a resident was walking his dog in the greenspace area of Scugog Line 8 and Hwy 12 East around 10:20 in the morning, when the bear came out of the wooded area. The resident was forced to run back to his car with the dog as the bear attempted to approach them several times.
The bear reportedly moved west where it encountered another person on a bicycle. The cyclist was forced to turn around as the bear remained standing in the middle of the road. The bear was last seen entering back into the woods on the south side of Scugog Line 4, just west of a closed bridge.
Bears don’t typically approach humans and are usually in search of a food source found from bird feeders or garbage. DRPS is reminding residents of North Durham to remove all exterior sources of food around their homes and backyards, including garbage, compost, bird feeders and to clean barbeque grills after use.
For more information on bears and safety tips, visit the Ministry of Natural Resources website at www.bears.mnr.gov.on.ca. To avoid conflict with bears, prepare and be aware. If you see a bear, call the Ministry of Natural Resources bear reporting line at 1-866-514-2327. In an emergency, always call 9-1-1.