A small black bear seen wandering the southwest Calgary neighbourhood of Oakridge will soon have a new home.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers said the bear was tranquilized Thursday morning and will be relocated to a safer location, following a health assessment.
There have been multiple reports, over the past several weeks, of a bear frequenting the area around 90 Avenue southeast, near the Glenmore reservoir.
People who live in the neighbourhood said it didn’t appear aggressive, but has been getting into garbage and recycling bins, apparently looking for food.
At least one homeowner got video of it on his home security camera.
When Oakridge resident Tim Hergert got an alert from his security camera, he was expecting to see video of a squirrel, raccoon or deer, but instead it showed a small black bear wandering through his yard.
Courtesy: Tim Hergert
The repeated sightings prompted Calgary police to issue a warning to residents, especially those out walking in the area, to keep an eye out for the animal and to not approach it.
The bear was spotted again around 7:42 a.m. on Thursday and after police officers guided it up a tree, wildlife officers were able to successfully tranquilize it.
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The female black bear is estimated to be about a year old and weighs about 60 kg (130 pounds).
Oakridge residents say the bear was getting into garbage, recycling and compost bins looking for food.
Global News
Bear sightings are not an uncommon occurrence in the communities surrounding the Glenmore reservoir, especially this time of year, when they are trying to put on as much weight as possible before winter hibernation.
However, Fish and Wildlife says there are lot of things homeowners can do to help bear-proof their neighbourhood, including:
- Storing garbage in bear-resistant bins or secure areas like garages
- Picking fruit regularly and cleaning up any fallen fruit
- Removing bird feeders between April and October, and
- Storing barbecues, food waste and other attractants in a secure location.
More information on how to reduce conflicts between bears and people can be found online through the province’s “Bearsmart Program.”
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