Hungry bear could return to Odell park

Don't come between a hungry bear and its dinner.

That's the advice of Matt Ruff, a resource supervisor with the Department of Natural Resources.

A bear was spotted in Fredericton's Odell park on Friday. Ruff says a number of calls came in, from the public and city police, starting at 4:30 p.m.

The bear was spotted in the area of Thompson Field and Parkside Drive. Ruff said the big attraction for the bear was likely the apple trees in the park.

"There are quite a few apple trees in the park —- easy food source," he said.

"It's likely the bear will frequent that spot until food is gone, so there is a chance bear will come back to that spot."

Ruff says there isn't much risk to the public, because "usually when a bear sees a person it goes the other way."

He says if someone does run into a bear in the park, or anywhere else, they shouldn't run away in a panic.

The best thing to do is make some noise and back away.

"You don't want to surprise a wild animal," he says.

Ruff says bear sightings usually happen on the outskirts of the city, though bears and other animals have been spotted in the Kimble Drive area of the city.

As for the bear on Friday, Ruff said it eventually made its way back into the woods.

"About 6:30 p.m. one of the officers did see the bear up by the new traffic circle … basically they stayed and monitored the bear until dark, and then the bear wandered back into the woods."