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A new education and awareness initiative called Bear Smart
will help the public to stay safe and keep black bears in nature and out of
harm’s way, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers announced today.
"We want to promote what people can do to avoid attracting
bears to residences and communities," said Struthers.
Bear Smart will include roadside signs, brochures and fact
sheets, an information campaign and free community workshops presented by the
government. The initiative will help to safeguard humans; minimize property,
crop and livestock damage; and maintain a healthy bear population. The Bear
Smart initiative is two-fold:
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building black-bear awareness, and
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managing hunting to regulate the number and distribution of
bears.
"In addition to maximizing human safety and minimizing damage
to property and crops, Bear Smart will help manage the number of problem bears,"
said the minister.
The first community workshop of the season will be held at 7
p.m., Thursday, May 18 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Participants can
register by calling 204-945-7773.
Information about Bear Smart is available at
http://www.manitoba.ca/blackbear.
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