Black Bear Behind Caribou Drive
MANITOUWADGE, ON – A dying black bear cub estimated to be less than a year old was put down by an OPP Officer Wednesday following observation since Tuesday by the police and Township staff.
Manitouwadge Municipal Law Enforcement Officer Marcel Demers explained that, though he has been involved in relocating some injured or nuisance animals to sanctuaries in the past, this particular bear was too weak and unwell for there to be any similar options.
The bear, likely still been nursing prior to separation from its mother, may have been rejected by her due to illness or she may have died leaving it orphaned though this is speculative as it is impossible to know for certain why or how it found itself in the shallow wooded gully behind Caribou Drive. One certainty is that the bear found a much quicker, kinder death than it would have in the bush where starvation or being devoured by some larger predator would have been the dying animal’s most likely end. The small bear, it was noted, was struggling to stand, underweight (estimated at <7kg), and losing its fur, did not display any interest in nearby trash cans (with garbage pick-up scheduled for Thursday morning these would’ve smelled quite appealing to a healthy animal) nor did it moan or call for its mother as would be expected.
When it was determined that the most humane option was to put the animal down, the OPP Officer fired two shots, killing the bear. The officer, accompanied by the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, then retrieved the carcass from the bushes. The by-law officer remained at the site for at least 90 minutes to further confirm there were no other wild animals nearby. The carcass was later buried at an appropriate site.
Residents are reminded to never approach any wild animal regardless of their size. If you see a bear within town limits, contact the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer Marcel Demers (826-3227 ext.244) or the Manitouwadge OPP (826-4641), do not attempt to interact with the animal.
The Ministry of Natural Resources reminds everyone not to feed wild animals (including fox). To read the MNRF ‘Feeding wildlife: dos and don’ts‘ CLICK HERE .
