Welcome to Bear Nova Scotia

If you talk to animals they will talk with you
and you will know each other.
If you do not talk to them, you will not know them,
and what you do not know you will fear.
What one fears, one destroys.
Chief Dan George (from My Heart Soars, 1974)

Welcome to Bear Nova Scotia, a web-site dedicated to providing information and answering questions about one of the least understood animals found in the woods of Nova Scotia. The province of Nova Scotia has seen a dramatic increase in the number of black bear complaints over the past few years, particularly on the mainland. This increase in nuisance bear complaints is a disturbing trend found right across North America. There are a number of reasons why bear complaints have risen including; higher bear populations, less hunting and trapping pressure, encroachment by humans in forested areas, more favourable habitat (i.e. a variety of habitats), a rise in public tolerance for black bears, etc. Our province is small and only has a certain amount of habitat that can be utilized by bears. It is up to us to help maintain the “wildness” in bears by becoming better educated on this species and following good housekeeping principles around properties. Ursus americanus is a truly magnificent omnivore, nature’s ultimate food finder, whose habits are governed by its search for food each waking day. With our help, understanding and tolerance, black bears can continue to flourish in Nova Scotia and be a part of the fauna for generations to come.