Black bear survey continues in northern Ontario

The Ministry of Natural Resources is counting black bears again this year.

Karen Passmore, a spokesperson with the MNRF, said the surveys began two years ago and will wrap up in 2020.

The ministry estimates the black bear population has been stable for about twenty years between 85 and 105 thousand bears but the latest countwill update their information.

"Basically what we're doing is collecting hair samples that will undergo DNA analysis to determine how many bears are new or returning visitors to a site," Passmore said. "So this data is used to estimate the density of bears in an area surrounding the survey line."

To help collect the data, Passmore said crews set out survey stations baited with sardines to attract the bears.

"The station is going to be surrounded by barbed wire," Passmore said. "As the bear comes to the station it'll brush up against the barbed wire and that captures a small sample of the bear's hair."

"It doesn't cause any injury to the bear at all."

Passmore said the tufts of hair provide DNA that is analyzed to determine how many bears are in certain areas.

The stations will be in place for a few weeks.