Polar bear's attempted break-in won't soon be forgotten, says Conche woman

It was a quiet Saturday night in Concheon Newfoundland's Northern Peninsulaas Paula Talbot was getting ready for bed, but things took a turn when a curious polar bear showed up on her doorstep.

Talbot told CBC News on Sunday she had just locked her door, said goodnight to her daughter, and was settling in for the evening in her own bedroom whenthe quiet of Taylor's Point, an area of the communitythat overlooks the water, was broken.

"There was a bang, a really loud bang, and I could hear what I thought was a slap against the glass," Talbot told CBC News on Monday.

"When I came out of my bedroom and just turned right toward the door I have glass in my main door when I looked, there the bear was, standing tall, way up past the glass in my door, and he was smacking the side of my house."

Talbot scrambled into a closet and told her daughter to remain in her bedroom. She said she frantically called friends for help and about five minutes later they arrived but the bear was gone.

Rare sighting

Talbot has been living in Conche, a community of about 150 people,for 22 years and knows ofonly two previous sightings of polar bears in the area.

"I cannot compare it to anything I've ever witnessed in my life or any ordeal I've found myself in," Talbot said.

"I knew there was help on the way, but knowing there was literally just a piece of glass separating me from a mess of a polar bear, it's not something I'll forget any time soon."

Talbot said the men who arrived to help her followed the bear's tracks through the area. She also called the RCMP for assistance.

In a statement to CBC News, the RCMP said officers from the Roddickton detachmentfound tracks around Talbot's houseand the community that led back into the ocean, but the bear was not found.

Facebook posts claim as many as fourbears spotted in the St. Anthony area, the RCMP said, but Talbot's encounter was the only onereported to police.

On Sunday, the Viking Trail Tourism Association tweeted that there was a polar bear was spotted in Goose Cove and another was seen crossing the Viking Trail Highway nearSt. Anthony, about 100 kilometres north of Conche.

On Tuesday the Fogo Island RCMP reported a polar bear was in the area of Tilting and asked residents to keep their distance and report any sightings.

"The detachments say that this is common for this time of year due to the movement of the ice and the location of young seals that they are feeding on," the RCMPsaid.

Later Monday, theDepartment of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture saidwildlife officials generally receive between 30 and 60 calls about polar bears annually. There have been 10 this year so far.

"Under no circumstances should residents approach a polar bear. While every situation is different, when encountering a polar bear take note of the bear's behaviour," reads a statement from the department.

If the bear does not see you, says the statement, quietly back away and leave the area, try to stay downwind of the animal, keeping an eye on the bear. Never get between a bear and her cubs.

If the bear has seen or smelled you,remain calm, give it space and a route to get away, and back away but do not run. If necessary, speak calmly and firmly, and avoid direct eye contact.

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