A Timmins resort is looking to educate the public after a weekend incident that saw youth hop a fence into a bison enclosure.
Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa is home to moose, bison, elk and fallow deer.
Over the weekend, six teens jumped a fence into where the bison roam at the property, said Andrea Whitmarsh, executive manager.
“We love sharing wildlife and having people experience it and it’s hard to judge the kids for wanting to see the animals up close, but at the same time I think more education needs to be done on the dangers of them. Especially because bison can look so aloof and relaxed that kids don’t seem to understand they can turn on you very quickly if you’re threatening their environment,” she said.
Her boss was working on the property at the time and noticed the animals looked agitated and were moving in a weird pattern.
"We didn’t see what happened other than them (the teens) running and going to jump back over the fence,” she said.
“Logically we’re thinking they’re not going to get that close because they smell different, the bison are going to know that and they’re going to know that these people aren’t supposed to be here."
Whitmarsh said they aren't looking to lay charges against the youth. The resort does want to raise awareness about the severity of going into the enclosure, though.
Bison, she said, can weigh up to 1,000 to 3,000 pounds.
Mating season starts in June, but she noted that could start early or late.
“Given that we’re into May it is definitely almost upon us and we really wouldn’t want any child or anybody from the public around them when they’re not supposed to be. We do the wildlife tours but we have different parts of the park that different buffalo are stationed,” she said.
