The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is using sardines as a way to track what areas bears visit in Northern Ontario. The sardines are in place at survey stations equipped with barb wire that the bear has to brush up against to get to the food. The hair left behind on the wire will generate DNA evidence the ministry can use to identify the bear. The results will help detail the number of bears that are in the survey area as well as which bears return to the same spot. The survey sites will be clearly marked so hikers and the public are asked to leave them alone so they don’t taint the results.
