Despite a reported bear attack in the Hillcrest area Thursday afternoon, conservation officers have found no evidence that a bear was present.

Officers received a call late Thursday afternoon that a male had been attacked by a brown-coloured bear in the greenbelt area between Hamilton Boulevard and the Alaska Highway near the airport.

After investigation, though, officers found no tracks, hair, nor scat, and could not confirm a bear was involved.

The man who reported the attack was not injured.

Officers placed a trap in the area as a precaution, and conservation officer David Bakica said, so far, it' s empty.

"We' re treating this seriously,” Bakica said.

"Obviously, we don't get these reports every day, but again, we found no evidence … In our experience, bears don' t take long to leave tracks, hair, and scat in any given area.”

Conservation officers interviewed the man, and intended to conduct a follow-up interview today.

They also spoke with other people in the area at the time. Many said they were listening to music through earbuds.

Bakica stressed the importance of being aware of your surroundings while walking in the wilderness.

He also recommends keeping dogs on a leash, carrying bear spray, and travelling with a buddy or group.

Bears have been sighted recently in the south Hamilton Boulevard area, Copper Ridge, Hidden Valley and MacPherson, and Riverdale and Hidden Lakes, though Bakica said he' s not aware of any attacks this year in the Yukon.

"Bears can be anywhere. We've had them anywhere and everywhere around Whitehorse,” he said.

"You can literally expect to see a bear on any piece of greenbelt in the territory.”

To minimize the risk of human/bear conflict from occurring, Whitehorse residents are reminded to make best efforts to secure garbage and compost bins.

Prevention is the best way to avoid human/bear conflict, the department said.