We are working to learn more about black bears. We are also working with partners to develop and test practical and effective methods that will help keep bears wild and prevent them from accessing things like garbage, bee hives and crops.
Some examples of what we are doing:
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Electric fencing
We are working with community partners to test the effectiveness of using electric fencing to keep bears away from landfills. We have so far learned that electric fencing can:
How to install:
Bear population
Since 2004, the Ministry of Natural Resources has been implementing an improved method for estimating the abundance of bears. Using barbed-wire hair traps, we are able to capture hair samples from bears. From these samples, we extract DNA and derive abundance estimates based on captures of individuals identified from their genetic profile.
For wildlife management purposes, Ontario is divided into numbered divisions called Wildlife Management Units. Abundance estimates will be derived for Wildlife Management Units across the province.
We also undertake studies to monitor bear populations, study the effects of food supply on bears and their activity. |
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Electric fencing can help keep bears away.
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Researchers at a bear den.
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Barbed wire hair taps will help scientists capture hair samples from bears. |
Media coverage
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On February 24th, 2009 Rick Mercer of CBC's The Rick Mercer Report joined Dr. Marty Obbard, MNR research scientist and his research crew, in Algonquin Provincial Park to check out MNR’s black bear research.
Part of the research being done on Algonquin’s black bear population is monitoring bear habitat and movement by tracking them with GPS radio collars. The data collected are used for wildlife management, population estimates, and to evaluate how climate change may affect bear habitat and food abundance.
Check out Rick and Marty as they visit a den and its inhabitants and decide: Who’s the comedian?
This video was produced by CBC's Rick Mercer Report. A transcript and closed captions for this video may be available from them at http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/
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