'In fact, I think it's really cool to live in a city where we've got black bears, and we've gotten much better about coexisting with bears and reducing attractants and avoiding confrontations'

At least one black bear has been making nocturnal rounds near wooded areas in Edmonton.

Startling photos shared on social media tell the story. A resident in the Mill Creek area snapped a late-night photo of a black bear looking every bit as startled.

Days earlier, out on the edge of town, in the Cumberland/Oxford area east of St. Albert Trail and south of Anthony Henday Drive, time stamps show a black bear’s zigzagged visits to neighbourhood streets between midnight and 1:30 a.m.

Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services was informed, and although the police were called, there have been no reports of aggressive behaviour, property damage or access to attractants to date.

There are about 40,000 bears in the province. They’re especially abundant across the north, but every county has ursus americanus, and any stand of timber can harbour one.

The Cumberland/Oxford location is close to the Sturgeon River, “which is great bear habitat,” and Lois Hole Provincial Park, where there’s lots of moose and deer and even bears, said Mark Boyce, professor of population ecology in the University of Alberta Department of Biological Sciences, and the Alberta Conservation Association chair in Fisheries and Wildlife.

Welcome to hyperphagia — bears, sensing winter’s approach, have a month or two to eat to bulk up their body mass by 25 per cent and put on fat to sustain them in their winter den denning period.

Black bears primarily eat plants, berries and insects, such as ants. Some individuals may learn to hunt fawns and calves.

As they enter peak feeding season, black bears may wander through green spaces and occasionally into urban areas. They can climb trees, and in peak bursts, they can run up to 50 km/h in pursuit of young or weakling prey animal.

But generally, they’re in search of grub. Or grubs.

“They’re very actively feeding and looking for any food they can get. They’re almost desperately looking for food this time of year,” Boyce said.

Judging from the recent porch cam video, Boyce doesn’t think the ursine tourist is an old, large bear saying it may be a two-year-old, but that’s a “wild” guess.

Boyce hopes it’s not attractants such as garbage luring the bear, but that’s frequently the case.

“They’re definitely very vulnerable to attractants, various foods they like, especially this time of year,” he said.

During harvest time, bears will venture into fields to dine on spilled grain.

Record rains will have had a positive effect on green forage in the wild areas — black bears are mostly herbivores.

“We’ve got a lot of understory vegetation this time of year,” said Boyce.

A bear on the edge of the city isn’t really a surprise, he said.

“Bears come up the river valley regularly, where there’s habitat where they can avoid being seen,” Boyce said.

“It’s unusual that black bears present a real threat to humans. They’re very shy, and they do everything they can to avoid humans.

“I’m not particularly concerned about the fact. In fact, I think it’s really cool to live in a city where we’ve got black bears, and we’ve gotten much better about coexisting with bears and reducing attractants and avoiding confrontations,” he said.

He has some tips for minimizing bear/human conflict.

“When you put your garbage out, don’t do it the night before. I put my garbage out and look up and down the street, and most people had their garbage out all night, and that’s asking for trouble,” Boyce said.

Don’t walk with a dog off leash.

“A dog will run after a bear, and depending upon the circumstances, the bear might turn around and chase the dog, and the dog is going to run right back to you,” he said.

Brendan Cox, assistant director for Public Safety and Emergency Services for the Province of Alberta, said residents can help prevent conflicts by securing garbage and other attractants, including bird feeders, pet food, barbecues and fallen fruit.

Like people, bears are individuals, so all bear encounters will be unique.

“Serious attacks are rare, but you must always be cautious and alert when in bear territory,” Cox said.

“If you encounter a bear, remain calm, do not run, and back away slowly while speaking in a calm voice. Keep pets leashed and avoid areas where a bear has recently been seen.”

Bear sightings and other wildlife concerns can be reported to Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services’ 24-hour Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.