Black bear sightings lead to warning from Manitoba Conservation

A black bear has been trapped and relocated after repeatedly roaming through yards north of Selkirk.

On Wednesday, Grant Kruk captured photos of the bear eating birdseed from his feeder in the backyard on Breezy Point Road.

The next day, the same bear returned and ate bird seed in another yard across the road.

A neighbour spotted it and called Manitoba Conservation.

“They came fast,” Barbara Benkie said. “It got scared and ran up a tree over here.”

Conservation said it’s the time of year bears come out of hibernation and search for food, and the preferred food of choice is bird seed.

“Bears love birdseed, it’s got lots of calories and it’s easy for the bears to get,” Conservation officer Dylan Peterniak said.

“It’s best to keep BBQ’s, garbage and birdfeeders indoors at night to prevent bears from coming into the area.”

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WATCH: Manitoba Conservation officer offers tips on black bear encounters

1:09 Manitoba Conservation officer offers tips on black bear encounters

If you encounter a bear, Peterniak said it’s important to remain calm, talk quietly and back away, never run. He wants everyone to learn how to be ‘bear smart’ because he says after all we’re in their territory and while the chance of running into a bear is slim, it happens.

Manitoba Conservation has more information on how to be bear smart on its web page.