Bearly believable: Altona’s backyard visitor ends tree-top standoff peacefully

An hours-long standoff with a black bear came to a peaceful end early Saturday morning in Altona. 

The animal was spotted high up in a tree around 8:15 a.m. Friday morning when Dwayne Martens peeked out of his back garage door and spotted the creature taking a nap in his backyard tree. 

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• “Oh dear, a bear!”: Altona man wakes up to black bear napping in his backyard tree

Police, fire and Manitoba Conservation officials spent all of Friday and into Saturday on scene, keeping an eye on the slumbering bear, ensuring its and everyone else's safety. 

According to Altona Police Chief Dan Defer, the bear eventually came down the tree on its own and walked itself out of town. 

A request for more information has been made to Manitoba Conservation.