Prince Albert conservation officers received a call at 1:45 a.m. regarding the bear. A lone officer who responded eventually located it in a tree off McIntosh Drive.
“Bears practically live in trees,” conservation officer Bonnie Greene said. “They can run up a tree, actually. They’re very comfortable climbing trees.”
Greene was not present at the scene but was authorized by the Ministry of the Environment to describe the bear essentials.
The furry intruder was successfully tranquilized with a special gun and taken to a forested area outside the city, where a reversal drug was administered. Throughout the ordeal, the bear, which conservation officers estimated to be between four and five years old, remained unharmed.
Greene said it was difficult to tell where the animal came from.
It’s very unusual for bears to come inside city limits. - Bonnie Greene
“It’s very unusual for bears to come inside city limits,” she said. “It’s not like it’s never happened, but it’s very, very rare … We don’t have a high population, but we have a healthy bear population. So I mean, we do have bears living in appropriate areas, and this is the time of year right now where they’re preparing for their hibernation.”
Despite the rarity of such an occurrence, Greene laid out a list of cautionary reminders in case residents happen to have a close encounter.
“Never feed or approach a bear or cub,” she said. “Stay calm. Back away. Do not run, and speak in low tones. Move towards a safe location. Contact a local conservation officer or city authority immediately.”
