Sault bear watchers keep an eye on spike in bruin sightings

2024: The bears are back in northern Ont. CTV News is getting more reports of bear sightings in the north this spring, and in some cases, they are showing up in urban environments.

If you go out in the woods these days you’re sure for a big surprise -- but lately, ‘every bear that ever there was’ have been popping up in more urban environments.

Northerners have noticed that in recent weeks, when bear sightings have been a regular occurrence.

It’s a busy time of year for young bears, and that means sightings in urban centres across the north are rising.

“It's also the bears’ mating season,” said Amanda Artuso, creator of Sault Ste. Marie Bear Watch.

“So right now you're seeing the mothers, or the sows, chase off their yearling cubs because they're in time just to breed this year's cubs.”

It means a lot of activity on Facebook pages like Artuso’s SSM BEAR WATCH, where people inform others when one of the animals is nearby.

“It's necessary,” Artuso said.

“You know, people have small children outside and they happen to notice that, you know, there's a bear in the area because I do ask for people to post location or approximate and include the time.”

Danielle Perrault recently had a surprise visitor rummaging around her back porch, which she caught on camera. She noticed it the next morning.

“We heard a lot of dogs barking and that, eh?” Perrault said.

“So I'm going through them and I'm going ‘yeah, there he is, he’s sniffing around’ and he didn't bother anything. He just sniffed around.”

Perrault said it has her worried about an even closer call and she’s more cautious when venturing outside.

“That's why I look out my window,” she said.

“If I have to come out here, water the plants and that, and I'm looking all around and making sure nobody's around.”

For tips to stay safe, residents can visit the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s website, which also has the number to call to report an encounter.