Don’t play dead: province warns about bears, cougars

The province is reminding people to be safe around bears and other predators this spring.

This is the time of year when animals begin to establish new territory and look for food.

People are reminded to take the necessary safety precautions when outdoors and to not leave garbage or pet food out in the open.

The province said people who encounter bears, cougars or other predatory animals should keep their distance, try to not scare the animal away or handle the situation themselves.

The province provided these tips on if you should come in contact with a bear:

• Stay calm – don’t run.
• Make a wide detour, calmly back away, speak in low tones and don’t look directly at the bear.
• Never feed or approach a bear or cubs.
• Move toward a tree or rock.
• As a last resort, drop articles to distract the bear.
• In most cases, black bears will threaten but not attack.
• If attacked, defend yourself – do not play dead.

Information on cougar encounters was provided as well:

• Stay calm – don’t run.
• Make sure the cougar knows you are not potential prey: stand up, make yourself appear as large as possible, shout loudly and throw something to distract the animal.
• Back away to a safe distance while maintaining eye contact with the cougar.
• If a cougar does make contact, fight back. Use any weapon that you can and don’t give up.
• Never play dead with a cougar.
• After the cougar has left, keep watching for it until you reach a place of safety.

People who find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation with a bear or other predator should contact their local conservation officer or call the 24-hour Turn In Poachers line at-1-800-667-7561 or from a cellphone at #5555.