AKWESASNE — (Ohiarí:ha/June 11, 2026) The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Environment Division is issuing a reminder to the community of the upcoming active bear sighting season and offer safety tips to prevent close encounters. During the warmer months, bears are more active in Akwesasne and the surrounding communities. Bear sightings become more common and can pose a risk to the community if measures are not taken to protect the safety of both wild life and humans.
In the instance that a bear is spotted, never approach, surround or attempt to touch the animal. If an encounter is unavoidable, leave a clear path for the bear to exit and slowly back away, never run. Bears are apex predators and running activates their primal response to pursue prey. If the bear does not immediately leave the area, from a safe distance, make a loud noise, clap, yell or honk your car horn. This will deter a bear from approaching any further.
The next important tip involves proper food storage to reduce the chances of encountering a bear in search of its next meal. Ensure your trash is stored in a container with a tight lid in a secure location. Do not leave it out at night, only put garbage containers out on the morning of collection days. Thoroughly clean barbeque grills after each use and run the grill on “high” to burn off all remaining grease. Lastly, ensure all food is brought indoors, including coolers and pet foot containers. Bears are attracted to all sorts of smells. Eliminating all possible food sources completely or keeping it in a controlled area will lower the chance of a bear encounter.
For more information on the risks and prevention of bear presence, please contact the SRMT Environment Division at environment@srmt-nsn.gov. To report a bear sighting contact animal control at (518)358-2273 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you see or encounter a bear and you feel it poses any threat to public safety, please contact the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department at (518)358-9200.