**GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO MEDIA RELEASE**

Bears are an important part of Ontario’s biodiversity and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) works to ensure sustainable black bear populations for the benefit of the people of Ontario. 

 

Ministry staff will be conducting barbed wire hair trap surveys to update Ontario’s bear population estimates.  The surveys will be conducted in:

 

  • Parts of central Ontario, including Algonquin Provincial Park and the surrounding areas, and the Bruce Peninsula and surrounding area (Wildlife Management Units 48, 50, 51, 54, 55A, 55B, 64A, 82A and 83A);
  • Parts of Northeastern Ontario, including areas near Sudbury, North Bay, Kirkland Lake, Timmins, Chapleau, Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Cochrane and Hearst (Wildlife Management Units 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 34, 35, 38, and 40); and,
  • Northwestern Ontario, including areas near Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Dryden and Fort Frances (Wildlife Management Units 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9A, 9B and 15A)

 

The surveys will run from approximately May 14, 2018 to July 6, 2018.

 

ABOUT THE HAIR TRAP SURVEYS:

  • Survey stations will be set up in forested areas with a small amount of canned sardines to encourage bears to investigate the survey station.
  • As the bear comes to the station, it brushes up against a single strand of barbed wire which captures a small sample of the bear’s hair.
  • Hair trap surveys do not disturb or cause injury to the bear.
  • MNRF staff wearing brightly-coloured safety clothing will be visiting the site once a week for six weeks to collect hair samples.

 

The collected hair samples will undergo DNA analysis to determine the sex and identity of the bears, and how many bears are new or returning visitors to the site. The data is used to estimate the density of bears in an area surrounding the survey line.

 

SAFETY MEASURES:

  • Signage will be posted in the area advising data collection is underway.
  • Be aware of MNRF staff working in the area and be on alert for black bear activity around the survey stations.
  • Please keep all non-hunting dogs on a leash on Crown land.
  • If a bear poses an immediate threat to public safety by exhibiting threatening or aggressive behaviour, call 911 or your local police.

 

WAYS YOU CAN HELP WITH THE SURVEY:

  • Please do not disturb the survey stations.
  • Educate your neighbours about the survey sites.