M’CHIGEENG—An increase in the number of nuisance bear calls on Manitoulin First Nation communities has led to the UCCM Police Services to purchase an additional live bear trap.
“There has been an increase in calls of nuisance bears in populated areas in First Nations communities this summer,” stated Rodney Nahwegahbow, staff sergeant of the UCCM Police Services, late last week. He said that in order to keep up with demand, the police service has recently purchased a second live bear trap.
On the UCCM Police Service Facebook page it is explained, “the UCCM Police Services is issuing a serious reminder to parents, guardians, youth and children to be bear aware. We have received several calls from concerned citizens who have seen bears in public park areas, most recently in Aundeck Omni Kaning.”
“Please address bear safety with everyone in the family,” the Facebook posting release says. “Our service will use non-lethal relocation in cases where the animal poses no immediate risk to others. This is why we stress safety for everyone.”
“The best way to relocate nuisance bears is a peaceful approach,” Staff Sergeant Nahwegahbow told the Recorder. He noted the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry several years ago downloaded responsibility for responding to bear nuisance calls to police services departments.
“We have had one older model of a bear trap, but it is very small,” continued Staff Sergeant Nahwegahbow. “That is why we bought this newer, larger model. This new model is very humane and much larger, so that is sow goes into the trap, two cubs who will probably follow her, can be housed in the bear trap.”
“We stress treating bears as humanely as possible, addressing the problem and trapping and then relocating them,” said Staff Sergeant Nahwegahbow. “Generally there is usually not too many problems with nuisance bears being reported in the summer, this usually occurs in the fall. But we are finding more nuisance calls this summer, for example in Aundeck Omni Kaning in the park by the lake. And we have been getting complaints about nuisance bears in other First Nation areas on the Island as well.”
Staff Sergeant Nahwegahbow said these type of non-lethal bear traps, “are a good way to deal with nuisance bears; better than using weapons or in any way hurting or destroying the animals.”
