A warning from the Ontario government to Dryden area residents.
Officials say due to natural food shortages there has been an increase in bear sightings.
Dryden is experiencing berry crop failure and human-bear interactions are directly related to the availability of natural foods.
The province says given the current food situation, Dryden is seeing an increase in reports of problem bears, which are searching for alternate food sources.
Residents are asked to keep their yards free of attractants to keep bears at bay.
Anyone in need of assistance is asked to call the Bear Wise reporting hotline at 1-866-514-2327.
Tips from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry include:
-Storing garbage securely in an enclosed storage area and only putting out garbage on the morning of collection
-Cleaning food residue and removing grease from outdoor barbecue grills after each use
-Putting away bird feeders until the winter
-Keeping pet food indoors
-Picking ripe fruit from trees and off the ground
Food service operations, such as restaurants or businesses with commercial dumpsters, are encouraged to:
-Empty garbage and grease/fat containers frequently
-Use bear-resistant containers
-Lock dumpster lids every night
-Avoid stockpiling garbage or grease/fat
-Clean garbage containers frequently and thoroughly, using a strong disinfectant to eliminate odors
