Video shows black bear being released following capture in Alberta town

A black bear is hopefully making itself comfortable in a new environment after being released in central Alberta this week.

According to a post on Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement’s Facebook page, the young bear made its way into the town of Breton.

With the help of the RCMP, the two-year-old animal was tranquillized and captured from the residential neighbourhood it wandered into.

Once it woke up, the bear was released in what Alberta Fish and Wildlife called a safe environment west of Lodgepole, Alta.

“The young bear was not showing signs of habituation and officers are hoping the quick capture has prevented the bear from becoming habituated,” Fish and Wildlife said.

Video released by Alberta Fish and WIldlife shows the bear slowly getting out of its trap, sniffing and looking around before walking off into its new habitat.

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RCMP said because of wildfires burning in the province, some animals are being displaced and may wander into areas they wouldn’t normally be seen.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife offered the following tips for keeping bears out of your backyard and neighbourhood:

• Store your garbage inside your garage or another secure outbuilding to prevent access by bears. If your municipality has curbside pickup, put your garbage out for collection only on the morning of collection. Never leave garbage outside overnight.
• Remove bird feeders from your yard in the months when bears are active – usually from the beginning of April until the end of November. Be sure to clean up any spilled bird seed from the ground.
• Consider purchasing a residential bear-resistant garbage container. Remember that to be effective, lids must be properly latched and containers should be regularly washed to prevent buildup of odours.
• Be equally careful in managing your garbage when using your community’s parks and pathways. Bears that move through town often use the green spaces as travel corridors. Garbage left in these spaces may encourage the bears to stay and seek out further food sources.
• Keep the parks and pathways clean by using the bear-resistant bins, and pack your garbage home when bear-resistant bins are not available.

Anyone who encounters a bear is advised to call the 24-hour report a poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.