hikers, dog owners warned after bear sightings near popular trails between waverley, bedford
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a warning sign about a bear in the area at the entrance to the lake william wetlands trail.
willy palov
/
chronicle herald
hikers are being asked to be on the lookout after bear sightings at two popular hiking trails in waverley.
warning signs went up recently at the entrance to the mcdonald sports park and the lake william wetlands trail, which is on rocky lake road between waverley and bedford.
the mcdonald sports park is on lake thomas, a three-kilometre drive down the road toward fall river, and also includes volleyball courts and a baseball field. the cheema aquatic club is also located on that lake next to the park.
a warning sign about a bear in the area at the entrance to the lake william wetlands trail.
willy palov
/
chronicle herald
the two waverley lakes are part of the shubenacadie canal waterway, which includes dartmouth’s lake charles, lake micmac and lake banook.
“the bear awareness sign at the lake william trailhead was installed after a reported bear sighting in the area a couple of weeks ago,” said alyse hand, a spokesperson from the nova scotia government.
“because the trail is heavily used by dog walkers, we post bear awareness signs in these situations to help inform trail users. we encourage residents to secure common bear attractants, such as garbage, compost and bird feeders, and remind dog owners to keep their dogs leashed in areas where bear activity has been reported.
“similar bear awareness signs are also in place at mcdonald sports park and in other communities where recent bear activity has been reported.”
a black lab on the lake william wetlands trail.
willy palov
/
chronicle herald
black bears are the only recorded species in nova scotia. according to parks canada, a male can be as large as 250 kilograms, while females usually top out at around 170.
they are normally shy and avoid human contact, but they are still wild animals and can become emboldened when searching for food.
“real black bears aren’t the cuddly critters portrayed in cartoons,” reads a portion of the guidelines laid out by the department of natural resources. ” they are large, powerful animals that should be treated with caution and respect.
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“bears will venture into settled areas in search of food when natural food sources are scarce. their quest often results in property damage and unwanted encounters with people. nearly all problem bear situations are the result of opportunity: the availability of crops, human food or food waste.
“bears are intelligent and curious. they are resourceful and persistent when it comes to locating and acquiring food. when enticed by the smell of something to eat, bears will overturn garbage cans, green carts and bird feeders, break into buildings or vehicles, and damage crops, orchards and beehives. if a bear is successful at obtaining food, it will continue to return, and in the process will become increasingly less afraid of people. relocation of these ‘spoiled’ bears is seldom successful as there are few areas in nova scotia where they can be released and not become someone else’s problem.”
black bears can also hit speeds as high as 50 kilometres per hour, which is roughly twice as fast as the average human, so it’s not advisable to try to outrun them. most conventional advice focuses on remaining calm, speaking in a loud voice and slowly moving away.
a section of the lake william wetlands trail.
willy palov
/
chronicle herald
other suggestions from the provincial government’s section on bear encounters are do not look the bear in the eyes and leave escape routes open for the bear.
“if the bear begins to follow you, drop something — not food — to distract the bear as you move away. do not make threatening gestures or sudden moves unless you are being attacked. never run or climb a tree. bears excel at both activities. if a bear attacks you, fight back with anything and everything you can, and make a lot of noise. do not ‘play dead.’ use pepper spray if you have it.”
the warning signs at the waverley trails also suggest keeping dogs leashed, not only for the pets’ safety but because they could agitate the bear and cause it to act out.
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a marshy section close to the entrance to the lake william trail is also a popular fishing spot for chain pickerel and smallmouth bass. because both of those are considered invasive and the current mandate from nova scotia’s department of fisheries and aquaculture is not to return them to the water if caught, disposed carcasses in the area may also attract bears.
an angler walks to his fishing spot on the lake william wetlands trail.
willy palov
/
chronicle herald
like with most danger, prevention is always a sensible strategy. it’s best to avoid places that bears frequent, like dumps, berry patches or near dead animals.
for all wildlife areas, the dnr’s advice is to “make noise as you travel through the woods: talk, sing, carry a radio, wear a small bell, or rattle a pebble in an empty tin can.”
the province also has extensive advice sections for campers, cottagers and citizens in rural areas, mostly focusing on food and garbage management. whether at home or at campsites in a tent or a camping vehicle, the guidance mostly boils down to common sense measures like storing or disposing of anything the bear might smell or want to eat.
a popular fishing spot for pickerel and bass on the lake william wetlands trail.
willy palov
/
chronicle herald
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