It’s a nice thing being the ‘paper-person’ in a small community. Most people are friendly and ready to offer advice and story ideas, and most, as time goes by, know you quite well. Some even know where you live. On-the-doorstep or in-the-driveway conversations with neighbours and potential ‘story-givers’ are not uncommon over time. Again, it’s nice to be that go-to person … unless it’s a doorbell ring at 8:45 in the morning on your day off.
But who can resist a young woman holding what can only be described as the world’s cutest dog in her arms as she tells you that a story should be done on the growing bear problem in the community? Bears are in her garbage cans, bears are in her neighbour’s yards, climbing their trees and threatening her daily walks with Muffy or Fluffy or whatever you would call the cutest fur ball with legs in the world.
I nod and agree with her. I offer some ideas about contacting regional Conservation Officers or the Report A Poacher line. But really, I’m thinking, “What can we do? Bears can’t read.”
I told her I’d do what I could to alert the masses, and she turned to go. And perhaps because it was a little early for me on a day off, or perhaps because I’d recently watched a gruesome survivor’s story on a Shark Week show about ocean attacks — but as she turned to leave, I almost expected the whole back half of her body from the back of her head to the back of her shins to have been clawed away in some horrible, dangling-meat kind of way. I know, weird, right? Who would have thought I’d be a Shark Week fan?
“The bear got my mommy,” the little dog would whisper as the two disappeared into dust.
But fortunately, she was in-tact, and her cute dog was non-vocal. As they left to continue their bear-aware morning walk, I was left to ponder the best way to caution all of our readers about living with wildlife. But like I said earlier … bears can’t read. Wait … or can they?
Thanks to A. A. Milne, we know at least one who can speak. And who better to give some advice about being around bears than one of their own.
“Always watch where you are going. Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the forest that was left out by mistake,” says Winnie the Pooh in Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.
If Winnie’s wise words aren’t enough, we have some advice from GOA Solicitor General Office spokesperson Dan Laville.
“Bears causing a public safety risk should be reported to the 24-hour Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800,” said Laville, whose department oversees Fish and Wildlife enforcement. “For more information on bear safety, and ways you can reduce or eliminate the chance of a bear encounter, visit www.bearsmart.alberta.ca.”
For more tips on bear safety, go to the digital version of this column at www.laclabichepost.com or www.athabascaadvocate.com, www.westlocknews.com or www.barrheadleader.com or just stop one of your community’s news folks when you see them. They’ll put you in the right direction … even if it’s their day off and they’re bear-ly awake.
