Wildlife

Bats, like all mammals, can carry rabies. Although it’s rare thanks to vaccination and public health control measures, human infection with rabies is nearly 100% fatal. While animal bites are responsible for most instances of rabies transmission, saliva contamination of cuts, scratches and mucous membranes is also possible. For tips on preventing interaction with bats, visit www.ontario.ca/page/prevent-conflicts-bats.

To protect your family and your pets from rabies:

• Keep pets up to date with their rabies vaccination. In Ontario, it’s the law that all cats, dogs and ferrets over three months of age must be vaccinated against rabies, and this vaccination must be kept up-to-date.
• Teach children to stay away from wild animals, pets they don’t know, or animals that are acting strangely.
• Talk to your veterinarian about vaccinating your livestock against rabies.
• Stay away from any wildlife, dogs or cats that you don’t know or any animal that is acting strangely.

Remember, only mammals can carry rabies.

• Keep pets away from wildlife. Don’t let pets run free and keep them indoors at night.
• Don’t feed, transport or relocate wildlife

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, seek medical advice immediately, and then contact Peterborough Public Health at 705-743-1000.

If your pets or livestock have had contact with a wild animal, such as a bat, skunk, fox or raccoon, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Veterinarians seeking assistance with risk assessments or animal post- exposure management can call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300.

For non-emergencies of sick/injured wildlife, call the Ontario Rabies Hotline at 1-888-574-6656, or Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at 1-866-673-4781. If the animal poses a public safety issue, contact police.

Tuesday, August 27, 2024 Immediate Release from Peterborough Public Health: Rabies Confirmed in Local Bats; Residents Reminded to Avoid Contact with Animals that Can Carry Rabies

The following information is made available from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry; Be Bear Wise and prevent bear encounters - Prevent and report encounters with black bears and learn who to contact.

News Release - Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry - March 1, 2024 - Public should exercise caution as bears come out of hibernation early

Who to contact

Not every bear sighting is an emergency situation. Here is who to call if you encounter a bear.

Emergency situations

Call 911 or your local police if a bear poses an immediate threat to personal safety and exhibits threatening or aggressive behaviour, such as:

• enters a school yard when school is in session
• stalks people and lingers at the site
• enters or tries to enter a residence
• wanders into a public gathering
• kills livestock/pets and lingers at the site

Police will respond first to an emergency situation, but may request assistance from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Non-emergency encounters

Call the toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 (TTY 705-945-7641) if a bear:

• roams around or checks garbage cans
• breaks into a shed where garbage or food is stored
• is in a tree
• pulls down a bird feeder or knocks over a barbecue
• moves through a backyard or field but does not linger

Prevent conflicts with black bears

Bears usually avoid humans, but they are attracted into urban and rural areas in order to get food.

If bears learn that they can find food where people live, they will return again and again and even try to enter buildings. Relocation and destruction are poor ways of trying to prevent conflicts with bears.

Garbage:

• put garbage out only on the morning of garbage day, not the night before
• put garbage in containers that have tight-fitting lids and store it in a bear-proof location such as your basement or a sturdy garage
• spray garbage cans and lids with bleach or another strong disinfectant
• take garbage to the dump often, if you do not have curbside pick-up

Bird feeders:

• fill bird feeders only through the winter months
• put away feeders in the spring and instead, offer birds natural alternatives (e.g. flowers, nesting boxes, fresh water)

Barbecue:

• burn off food residue and wash the grill right away
• empty the grease trap every time you barbecue
• remove all utensils, dishes and food after eating

Fruits and berries:

• pick all ripe and fallen fruit from trees and shrubs on your property
• plant non-fruit bearing trees and shrubs

Pet food:

When out in bear country

Travel in groups of two or more, as bears primarily attack people who are alone.

Avoid bear-human interactions

Alert bears to your presence so they can avoid you. Make noise, such as singing, whistling or talking while in areas with restricted visibility or with high background noise, such as near streams and waterfalls.

While outdoors:

• scan your surroundings and do not wear music headphones
• watch for signs of bear activity (for example, tracks, claw marks on trees, flipped-over rocks or fresh bear droppings)
• leash your dog, as uncontrolled, untrained dogs may actually lead a bear to you
• pay attention, especially if you are working, gardening or berry picking
• rise slowly if you are in a crouched position so that you don’t startle nearby bears

If you encounter a black bear

When bears are caught off guard, they are stressed, and usually just want to flee.

Stop. Do not panic. Remain calm.

Generally, the noisier the bear is, the less dangerous it is, provided you do not approach. The noise is meant to “scare” you off and acts as a warning signal.

Do

• Slowly back away while keeping the bear in sight and wait for it to leave.
• If the bear does not leave, throw objects, wave your arms and make noise with a whistle or air horn.
• Prepare to use bear spray.
• If you are near a building or vehicle get inside as a precaution.

Do not

• Run, climb a tree or swim — a bear can do these things much better than you
• Kneel down
• Make direct eye contact

Bear warning signs

Black bear attacks are extremely rare. A threatened or predatory black bear will give off warning signs to let you know you are too close. If a black bear stands on its hind legs this is not aggressive behaviour, and the bear is trying to get a better look at you or "catch your scent".

A defensive bear

A bear that feels threatened will:

• salivate excessively and exhale loudly
• make huffing, moaning, clacking and popping sounds with its mouth, teeth and jaws
• lower its head with its ears drawn back while facing you
• charge forward, and/or swat the ground with its paws (known as a ‘bluff’ charge).

A predatory bear

The bear will approach silently, usually in rural or remote areas, and may continue to approach regardless of your attempts to deter them by yelling or throwing rocks. If the bear attacks:

• Use bear spray.
• Fight back with everything you have.
• Do not play dead unless you are sure a mother bear is attacking in defence of her cubs.

After the bear leaves

• Report the bear encounter by calling 1-866-514-2327 (TTY 705-945-7641) between April 1 and November 30.
• Tell your neighbours about bear activity in the area.
• If the bear was eating non-natural food (such as garbage or bird food), remove or secure the item.

When to use self defence

If you have tried everything possible to get a bear to leave your property and you are afraid for your safety, you have the right to protect yourself and your property.

Killing a bear in self-defence must be an action of last resort.

Any action you take must be done:

• according to applicable laws (for example, discharging a firearm by-laws)
• safely
• in the most humane way possible

You do not need a hunting licence to kill a bear in self-defence. If you kill a bear and do not intend to keep it, you must report it immediately to your local Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry office.

If you kill a bear and want to keep it, you must register for a Notice of Possession with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Turtle resources:

Think Turtle Conservation Initiative

Keep Wildlife Wild Brochure

Report sick or dead wild birds on the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative online reporting tool.

• Limit interactions between pets and wild birds.
• Do not feed pets any raw meat from wild birds or poultry.
• Consult with your veterinarian for more information on avian influenza in pets.

• Feeders should be removed from areas that are open to poultry and other domestic animals.
• If you care for poultry, prevent and/or eliminate contact between wild birds and poultry (e.g., include the removal of exterior/outdoor sources of food, water, and shelter that attract wild birds).
• Backyard bird feeders and baths should be cleaned regularly, at least every two weeks, using a solution of one part household bleach to nine parts water. Ensure that they are well rinsed and dried before re-use.
• If sick birds are observed near bird feeders, the feeders should be removed and the sick birds reported to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative.

• Limit access of domestic birds to the outdoors and ponds or bodies of water used by wild birds.
• Owners must minimize contact between wild birds and their small flocks.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), there is no evidence to suggest that eating cooked poultry or eggs could transmit avian flu to humans. Practice safe food handling and cooking practices for poultry and poultry products (eggs).

Wild bird surveillance is conducted through a collaboration between:

• CFIA (HPAI in wildlife dashboard)
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Public Health Agency of Canada
• Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC)

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are the lead agencies for tracing cases in birds on farms or in other facilities that process poultry.

Durham Region Health Department works with other public health units to follow any farm/agricultural workers who may have been exposed to avian influenza. There have been no human cases in Durham Region.