One individual has been transported to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries following a bear attack in a remote area near Armstrong.
On June 12, 2024, at approximately 8:30 a.m., members of the Armstrong Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police, along with Emergency Medical Services (EMS), responded to a report of a bear attack inside a camp in a remote area in Wabakimi Provincial Park.
Officers responded to the area and located one individual with non-life-threatening injuries. The individual was transported to hospital by EMS to be treated for their injuries. The bear was gone upon arrival.
Individuals are reminded to use extreme caution when encountering bears and other wildlife. For information on how to prevent and report encounters with black bears, contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry or visit www.ontario.ca/page/prevent-bear-counters-bear-wise, https://www.ontario.ca/page/bear-wise-tips-and-tools.
Emergency Situations:
Call 911 or your local police if a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety and exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour, such as:
- enters a school yard when school is in session
- stalks people and lingers at the site
- enters or tries to enter a residence
- wanders into a public gathering
- kills livestock/pets and lingers at the site
Police will respond first to an emergency situation but may request assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry during daylight hours.
Non-Emergency Encounters:
Call the toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 or TTY 705-945-7641 if a bear:
- roams around or checks garbage cans
- breaks into a shed where garbage or food is stored
- is in a tree
- pulls down a bird feeder or knocks over a barbecue
- moves through a backyard or field but does not linger
This line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from April 1 to November 30.
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