The Quebec provincial police warn people in the town of Madeleine Center to stay in their homes after a report of a polar bear sighting in the area. The town is located on the Gaspé Peninsula, less than 300 kilometers north of the New Brunswick border and separated by more than 100 kilometers of water from northern parts of Quebec.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Stefan Tremblay says a citizen reported the polar bear to wildlife officials who requested the police to ensure the safety of citizens until their arrival.

Tremblay says officers arrived and took charge of the situation before 2 p.m. Saturday. The provincial Department of Forests, Wildlife, and Parks says it cannot confirm whether the animal sighted is actually a polar bear or not.

Polar bears have been occasionally sighted in coastal areas on the Lower North Shore of Quebec - about 500 kilometers north of Madeleine Center.