After a man from Cochrane, Ontario nearly died from a bear encounter, provincial staff are looking for a new way to deal with the animals.
While the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) previously dealt with emergency bear encounters, all calls regarding nuisance bears have been passed off to the OPP. The MNR stopped relocating bears last summer, since evidence showed that the bears would often find their way back to the same location. The province does, however, still run a hotline where people can call for tips on bear safety.
But according to a report by the CBC, John Vanthof, an MPP for the region where the man was attacked, says this isn’t an acceptable solution to the problem. Vanthof raised the issue at Queen’s Park, and demanded a new answer for Ontario.
“If moving bears isn’t working, then maybe the MNR needs to be responsible for doing what works with bears,” Vanthof said.
Who do you think should be responsible for dealing with nuisance bears? Comment below!