Bear takes Sunday morning stroll in Stittsville field
A black bear was spotted out for a Sunday stroll in a field in Stittsville.
"I couldn't believe it. Very rare for me. I've never seen anything like that," said Laurie Viau Gillard in an interview with CTV News Ottawa.
Photos showed the bear in a field in the area of Fernbank Road and Terry Fox Drive around 11 a.m.
"There were three deer and I was wondering what they were running towards and it was a big black bear," said Viau Gilliard.
A video posted on Twitter a few hours later showed a black bear in a field in the area of Terry Fox Drive and Eagleson Road.
News of the black bear in the field was the talk of the neighbourhood Sunday afternoon.
"It does scare me. We have a lot of children in the area," said one resident.
"I'm not really surprised about it, we've seen other wildlife in the area," said another resident in the neighbourhood.
Ottawa police did not receive any calls about the bear. Police advise people not to approach the animal, and if it enters a residential area to call police.
Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources offers the following tips if you encounter a bear:
- 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
- Drop any food you may be carrying and slowly move away
- If a bear is in a tree, leave it alone. Leave the area. The bear will come down when it feels safe
The ministry says if you encounter a bear, do not run, climb a tree or swim and do not attempt to feed the animal.
There have been several bear sightings in the Ottawa area.
Last July, the National Capital Commission trapped a bear that was spotted in Mud Lake, a conservation area near Britannia Village.
In May 2020, a black bear was spotted in a tree along Terry Fox Drive near Kanata Avenue. Conservation officers tranquilized the bear and transported it back to the woods.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Second Cup closes Montreal franchise over hateful incident
Second Cup Café has closed one of its franchise locations in Montreal following allegations of hateful remarks and gestures made by the franchisee in a video that was widely circulated online during a pro-Palestinian protest on Thursday.
‘It’s pretty emotional:’ N.B. family escape fire, plan to rebuild home
A family in Riverview, N.B., is making plans for Christmas and the future after escaping a fire in their home on November, 14.
Cargo ship runs aground in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ont.
A large cargo ship remains stuck in the St. Lawrence River after running aground on Saturday afternoon.
Scurvy resurgence highlights issues of food insecurity in Canada's rural and remote areas
A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada.
B.C. man awarded $800K in damages after being injured by defective bear banger
A B.C. man has been awarded nearly $800,000 in damages as compensation for injuries he sustained from a defective bear banger, according to a recent court decision.
A man called 911 for help during a home invasion. Las Vegas police fatally shot him
A Las Vegas man called for police help during a home invasion before an officer fatally shot him, according to authorities and 911 calls.
Cat caught in hunting snare rescued by BC SPCA
Donations are ramping up for a BC SPCA cat with a mangled paw after being caught in a hunting snare, one of a rising number of pets to fall prey to the hunting device.
These royal residences are opening their doors this Christmas
Not so long ago, if you wanted to spend Christmas with the royal family, the only way to get close was to press your nose up to the TV screen during the monarch’s Christmas speech.
'Still working full time on it:' One year later police continue to search for gunman in Caledon double murder linked to ex-Olympian
One year after a couple was shot and killed in their Caledon home in what investigators have described as a case of mistaken identity, Ontario Provincial Police say they are still trying to figure out who pulled the trigger.