On the evening of September 16, a couple in Nipigon, Ont., opened their back door to let their dog into the yard. On the other side of the door was an adult black bear.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the bear entered the house and attacked the dog and couple. The couple were able to escape to a bedroom where they barricaded the door and called emergency services. Meanwhile, the dog corralled the bear in the basement by barking at the top of the stairs. The bear remained there until OPP officers arrived. The officers determined that the safest solution was to kill the bear.
Emergency services transported the couple to hospital where they were treated for non-fatal bite marks and lacerations. The dog had its wounds tended to by a veterinarian.
This is the second time in a month that a black bear has shown aggressive behaviour towards people in the Nipigon area. On September 10, in Red Rock at around 11:30 p.m., OPP officers responded to a call about a black bear that had growled and charged at residents.
According to the OPP, the bear could not be safely scared away, so they killed it. “Before taking action to destroy any animal, OPP officers assess the threat to public safety, the feasibility of relocation, and the ability to carry out the intervention safely within a residential setting. In this case, due to the immediate risk posed and the inability to safely relocate the bear, officers were required to dispatch the animal,” OPP said in a statement.
While both incidents are concerning for public safety, Martyn Obbard, the former resident bear biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, says neither case is new. “This has all happened before.”
Obbard explains that these types of encounters grow more common if bears can’t find natural food, particularly in the fall when they’re trying to gain weight for hibernation. “Most bears double their body weight between early July and the time they go into their den,” he says.
In Northern Ontario’s boreal forest, black bears’ main diet consists of blueberries, mountain ash, and hazel. But due to drought conditions this summer, these plants have had a small yield, forcing bears to find other food sources, such as urban areas.
“Years ago, we were collecting data on what were the primary attractants in all the cases that we recorded where there was a bear incident,” says Obbard. “More than 50 per cent of the cases could be attributed to uncontained household garbage. And then half of the rest was commercial garbage.”
Based on what he’s heard about the two Nipigon incidents, Obbard says both bears sounded like they were looking for food. They did not sound predatory. In fact, Obbard adds that growling and charging is a black bear’s way of telling humans to back off and give space.
He’s long advocated for the OPP to introduce a bear management course for officers so that fewer bears end up killed. Especially since climate change is accelerating drought conditions, which could lead to more human-bear interactions.
Lack of adequate natural food can also impact the black bear population. Death from starvation becomes a threat, but it also limit’s female bears’ ability to give birth. On average, female black bears produce cubs every two years. To have a successful pregnancy, the females need adequate lipid levels. Bears get lipids, which include fats, waxes, and oils, through their natural diet. Since food has been scarce this summer, Obbard predicts that there won’t be many cubs born in Northern Ontario this winter.
But with the two-year cycle interrupted, this leaves more female bears open to pregnancy next year. “If they do get pregnant, and it’s a reasonable food year, they’ll have a massive year of cubs born in 2027,” he says.
For cottagers who want to avoid human-bear interactions, the Ontario government recommends only filling bird feeders in the winter; keeping your pet on leash around the cottage; storing garbage in secure containers, sheds, or garages rather than in vehicles or wooden boxes; removing grease and food residue from barbecues; and picking ripe fruit off trees.
If you’re leaving the cottage, make sure to lock all windows and doors, and don’t leave scented products out—even suntan lotion, soap, and candles can attract bears.
Related Story Here’s what to do in case of a bear attack at the cottage
Related Story Here’s why wildlife overpasses are important and why Ontario needs to build more
Related Story Experts decry Alberta’s reversal on grizzly hunting ban after nearly 20 years