Thunder Bay resident Jeff Tiboni encountered a black bear lounging under a tree in his neighbor’s yard one evening. Tiboni, startled but cautious, shared his experience of finding the bear peacefully munching on apples as it glanced up at him. He tried to deter the bear with a bear banger, but the bear simply moved around the neighboring house, returning to the apple trees shortly after.
Living near a vast park, Tiboni mentioned that bear sightings were not uncommon in the area. However, this year seemed to have an increased number of bear encounters compared to previous years, with bears transitioning from apple trees to rummaging through garbage cans once the apples were depleted.
According to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), bears are currently in hyperphagia, a period before hibernation, where they consume up to 20 hours a day and as many as 20,000 calories daily. Micheline Mamone, the provincial coordinator for human-wildlife Management at the MNR, explained that bears are enticed by apple trees during late summer and fall when the fruit ripens due to fluctuations in their natural food sources like berries, acorns, and nuts.
Mamone highlighted that a poor berry crop this year has led bears to seek food in residential areas, attracted by sources such as food waste, garbage, bird feeders, compost, pet food, and fruit trees. To minimize bear attractants, residents are advised to promptly collect ripe fruits from trees like apples, pears, or plums, secure garbage in bear-resistant containers, limit bird feeders to winter months, feed pets indoors, and maintain clean barbecues to prevent grease buildup.
Taking preventive measures can significantly reduce bear interactions, as bears will move on if they cannot find food easily accessible. The City of Thunder Bay has scheduled two fall collection periods for residents to dispose of apples and yard waste.
In case of bear sightings, non-emergency incidents should be reported to the Bear Wise reporting line, while emergency encounters should be reported to local authorities. Mamone emphasized the importance of community cooperation in managing properties to deter bears from residential areas effectively.
