logo
Ontario police issue warning after backyard black bear sighting

Ontario police issue warning after backyard black bear sighting

Global News6 days ago
On Wednesday night, residents of Erin, Ont., called police after a bear was spotted heading into backyards while looking for a snack, according to provincial police.
They say they got the call at around 9 p.m. after the black bear was spotted in people's backyards on Pine Ridge Road.
The smallish bear did not do much damage, aside from knocking over a few bird feeders before it moved on.
'I don't know where the bear went to after it was last spotted on Wednesday night just before nightfall,' Const. Kirk MacDonald told Global News in an email.
'There's a lot of rural and forested areas nearby and it likely moved into a more secluded area after dark.'
MacDonald said the bear has made several appearances on social media in the area over the past couple of weeks after being caught on other people's security cameras.
Story continues below advertisement
He believes the tourist to Erin, a town of about 11,000 people located about 30 minutes drive from Brampton and Guelph, to be a yearling black bear.
'A yearling is a young bear (no longer a cub but not considered an adult bear),' the constable explained.
'At this age, they leave their mother and go off to find their own territory and food. They must eat a lot to build up their weight before they hibernate.'
He said the bears are often in search of food from bird feeders or garbage.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'Approximately a month earlier, another bear was spotted in Caledon Village,' MacDonald said. 'Every few years, we'll get a handful of black bear sightings in our County within a short time frame and then nothing for years afterwards.
'Occasionally, black bears will travel south through forested corridors such as the Bruce Trail, from the Bruce Peninsula and cottage country searching for food sources particularly in spring and early summer. They rarely stay in one place for long and avoid human contact.'
A release from police offered a number of tips from the Ministry of Natural Resources surrounding bear encounters.
The MNR says that bears aren't always a threat but people should be concerned if a bear exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour.
Story continues below advertisement
If you do encounter a bear, the ministry says to not block its path and to keep away from the animal.
It also says to warn others about its location and to keep children and pets indoors. If you are near a building or a vehicle, get inside as a precaution.
If you have an issue with a bear, call the the Bear Wise line at 1-866-514-2327 for advice on how to avoid encounters during bear season.
If a bear approaches, the MNR says to back away slowly while keeping an eye on it. If the bear comes towards you, do not turn and run. Make noise, throw items and make yourself appear as big as you can.
If those options fail, back away from the bear while acting aggressively towards a bear.
'If you are carrying bear repellent, make sure you are familiar with the product and how it is used, using it only if the bear is attacking you or is extremely close to you,' the MNR offers.
Playing dead is an option but only if it is a mother bear which is attacking you in defence of cubs, the ministry notes.
'Fighting back is the best chance of persuading a bear to stop its attack, so use a large stick, a rock, or anything else that you can to deter the bear,' the MNR suggests.
Story continues below advertisement
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Thailand, Cambodia border dispute escalates leaving at least 11 dead
Thailand, Cambodia border dispute escalates leaving at least 11 dead

Global News

time34 minutes ago

  • Global News

Thailand, Cambodia border dispute escalates leaving at least 11 dead

Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed in several areas along their border Thursday in a major escalation of their conflict that left at least 11 people dead, mostly civilians. The two sides fired small arms, artillery and rockets, and Thailand also called in airstrikes. Thai villagers could be seen on video fleeing their homes to seek shelter as the clashes began in the morning. Fighting was ongoing in at least six areas along the border, Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said. The trigger for the clashes was a mine explosion along the border on Wednesday that wounded five Thai soldiers and led Bangkok to withdraw its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled Cambodia's. Thailand has also sealed all land border crossings while urging its citizens to leave Cambodia. The Southeast Asian neighbors have longstanding border disputes that periodically flare along their 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier and usually result in brief confrontations that sometimes involves exchanges of gunfire. Story continues below advertisement But relations have deteriorated sharply since a confrontation in May that killed a Cambodian soldier, and Thursday's clashes were far bigger in scale and intensity than usual. Each side accuses the other of starting the clashes The first clash Thursday morning happened in an area near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple along the border of Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A video from the Thai side showed people running from their homes and hiding in a concrete bunker as explosions sounded. The Thai army said its forces heard a drone before seeing six armed Cambodian soldiers moving closer to Thai military positions at the border. It said Thai soldiers tried to shout at them to defuse the situation, but the Cambodian side started to open fire. Cambodia's Defense Ministry, however, said Thailand deployed a drone first before opening fire, and that Cambodia 'acted strictly within the bounds of self-defense, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity.' Story continues below advertisement Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote to the current president of the U.N. Security Council asking for an urgent meeting 'to stop Thailand's aggression.' The Thai army said it later launched airstrikes on military targets in Cambodia, while the Cambodian Defense Ministry said the Thai jets dropped bombs on a road near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, which has been the site of some of the most prominent and violent past conflicts between the countries. Thailand's Foreign Ministry accused Cambodia of attacking both military and non-military sites in Thailand, including a hospital. 'The Royal Thai Government is prepared to intensify our self-defense measures if Cambodia persists in its armed attack and violations upon Thailand's sovereignty in accordance with international law and principles,' said Nikorndej Balankura, the ministry's spokesperson. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said 11 people have died, including 10 civilians and one soldier. Meanwhile 28 have been injured, four of whom were soldiers and the rest civilians. Cambodia released no details on deaths or injuries on its side. Relations deteriorated even before the clashes On Wednesday, Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled the Cambodian ambassador to protest the mine blast that wounded its soldiers. Story continues below advertisement Thai authorities alleged the mines were newly laid along paths that both sides had agreed were supposed to be safe. They said the mines were Russian-made and not of a type employed by Thailand's military. Cambodia rejected Thailand's account as 'baseless accusations,' pointing out that many unexploded mines and other ordnance are a legacy of 20th century wars and unrest. Cambodia also downgraded diplomatic relations, recalling all Cambodian staff on Thursday from its embassy in Bangkok. The border dispute in May that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier has had political fallout in Thailand. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra came under fire for for being too fawning in a phone call with her Cambodian counterpart when she tried to defuse the situation. She has since been suspended from office pending an investigation into possible ethics violations over the matter. —Associated Press writer Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, contributed to this report.

Judge to deliver verdicts in high-profile world junior sex assault trial
Judge to deliver verdicts in high-profile world junior sex assault trial

Global News

time4 hours ago

  • Global News

Judge to deliver verdicts in high-profile world junior sex assault trial

Five members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team accused of sexual assault will learn their fates in their high-profile trial Thursday. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia will deliver her verdicts inside a London, Ont., courtroom in the case of Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote. The five men have been on trial since late April – accused of engaging in non-consensual group sex with a then-20-year-old woman in June 2018. All five men pleaded not guilty to sexual assault; McLeod also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of being a party to the offence of sexual assault. It initially started as a jury trial, but just a few days in, a mistrial was declared out of concern about a tainted jury after a juror accused Hillary Dudding, one of Formenton's lawyers, of initiating conversation while in line for lunch. Story continues below advertisement Dudding denied this and said any contact with the juror was inadvertent. 2:16 Hockey Canada sexual assault trial nears verdict The trial resumed the following week with a new jury. They would go on to watch videos of the complainant, known as E.M., taken by McLeod, hear from then-teammate Taylor Raddysh about a group-chat screenshot he took capturing talk of a '3 way' sent by McLeod, and hear from E.M. herself. The now-27-year-old woman, whose identity is protected under a standard publication ban, was subject to intense cross-examination during her nine days on the stand. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Court heard the team was in London for events marking its gold-medal performance at that year's championship, and that the complainant was out with friends when they met at a downtown bar on June 18, 2018. Story continues below advertisement After being with McLeod and his teammates at the bar, E.M. would go on to have consensual sex with McLeod in his room in the early morning hours of June 19. Court has heard that E.M., who testified she was drunk and not of clear mind, was in the washroom after she had sex with McLeod and came out to a group of men in the room allegedly invited by McLeod in the group chat. It was then that the Crown alleges several sexual acts took place without E.M.'s consent. 2:28 World junior defence wraps closing submissions, Crown begins final pitch Defence lawyers have suggested E.M. wasn't as drunk as she has testified she was, wanted a 'wild night' with the players and was 'egging' them on to have sex with her, and accused her of having a 'clear agenda' at the trial. E.M. pushed back against those claims and at points outright rejected them, saying she was coaxed into staying in the room and was disrespected and taken advantage of by the group, who she said 'could see I was out of my mind.' Story continues below advertisement After E.M. finished her testimony, then-teammate Tyler Steenbergen took the stand as a Crown witness, but his testimony was halted just two days in. Court received a note from a juror stating they believed Formenton's lawyers, Dudding and Dan Brown, would 'turn to each other and laugh as if they are discussing our appearance' when the jury was entering the room. 0:33 What's the biggest takeaway from the world junior hockey trial? Carroccia said she was concerned this could impact some jurors' ability to fairly decide the case and that it could have a chilling effect on the defence lawyers. Brown and Dudding called the juror's note an 'unfortunate misinterpretation' and said 'the very idea of counsel making light of a juror is illogical and runs directly counter to our purpose and function.' Carroccia went on to dismiss that jury, and the trial would go on by judge alone. Story continues below advertisement Only Hart would testify at the trial, while the other players' lawyers cited evidence and police interviews that had already been played in court as part of the reasons why their clients were reserving their right not to testify. Hart testified in part that E.M. was asking the players to have sex with her, and he chose to ask for oral sex because he did not want to have intercourse. He said it was 'consensual' and brief because it was 'weird.' Hart would agree with Crown prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham under cross-examination that he was 'putting a lot of faith in your friend, Mr. McLeod, to set something up that was morally acceptable to you.' During closing submissions, defence lawyers called the trial 'historic' and repeatedly attacked E.M.'s credibility, saying she 'created a lie' out of regret and embarrassment, and that throughout the night, her 'communication of consent is overwhelming.' Meanwhile, the Crown urged the judge to convict the men, with prosecutor Meaghan Cunningham arguing the men were 'reckless' for engaging in group sex with E.M. and not seeking her affirmative consent. Cunningham said E.M. is a credible witness because she was abundantly fair in the trial, clear and concise, not resentful and confirmatory. She argued that many defence submissions on E.M.'s behaviour are based on assumptions about how someone in her situation would act.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store