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The information below is a compilation of bear information provided by government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last week. It is not intended to be used as a real-time, complete record of where bears are in the valley.
BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (July 4-11, 2024)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
There continue to be numerous bear sightings along trails, roadsides, in residential areas, and campgrounds throughout the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country resulting in several new warnings and closures to be put in place. Bear Warning - Heart Creek Trail and McGillivray Bunker Trail due to multiple black bears in the area. Bear Warning: A portion of the High Rockies Trail from the Goat Pond Dam to Spray Lakes West Campground due to a black bear bluff charge on the trail. Bear Closure: Sparrow's Egg Lake near Elkwood Campground due to a grizzly bear bluff charge occurring in the area. A reminder that a warning gets put in place for an elevated risk of encounters, and closures are put in place to give bears space and protect the public - so please respect them!
It is important to remember that bears can be encountered anywhere, anytime (not just in areas with an active warning or closure in place) so you should always be expecting to run into a bear whenever you head out on the trails in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country! People need to mentally prepare themselves for encounters and remember to make lots of noise, travel in a group (ideally 4 or more), keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray, and be prepared to use it in case of a close encounter. Knowing what to do when you encounter a bear is key!
Remember to obey speed limits and slow down to a reasonable speed when passing wildlife but don’t stop to take pictures. Never get out of your vehicle to get closer to a bear that is roadside. It stresses out and disturbs the bear, and is potentially dangerous for you, the bear, and other motorists. Be extra vigilant at dawn, dusk, and during night time hours to avoid collisions with wildlife.
To help give these bears the space they need to feed undisturbed, obey all “No Stopping Zones” and always stay at least 100 metres (10 school bus lengths) away from all bears at all times! Stop only to avoid a potential collision if wildlife are on the road, but do not linger - keep moving along! The safety and well-being of wildlife is far more important than you getting that perfect picture.
Remember to properly manage wildlife attractants such as food and garbage while hiking, camping and at Day Use Areas. If you see garbage on the ground, pick it up and put it in a bear-proof bin. If the bin is full, take the garbage home with you, but never leave garbage on the ground. Ensure attractants are stored inside a hard-sided vehicle/trailer or locker at night and when away during the day. Never leave food unattended, even for a minute. Always be extra vigilant in securing your food and other items that attract wildlife, even when you are still at your campsite or picnic area (read this article from one-year ago.) Officials will remove unattended attractants if they are not stored correctly, and an enforcement action may follow - your actions could help save a bear’s life!
Grizzly bear 175 feeding and hanging out roadside in K-Country last week.
Even though elk calving season is winding down, this is no time to become complacent. Mother elk will still aggressively defend their calves if they feel threatened by people getting too close! Never approach elk for any reason, stay at least 30 metres (3 school bus lengths) away from all elk and DO NOT TRY TO SNEAK PAST THEM on a trail! Keep pets on a leash and it is a good idea to be carrying your bear spray whenever you leave the house to go out for a walk, run or ride around Canmore.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
You can also submit your report using the Report-A-Poacher Online form or contact your local district Fish and Wildlife office.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
Some places like Lake Minnewanka near Banff (see restricted activity notice below) have seasonal trail restrictions in effect to increase public safety and minimize the displacement of grizzly bears from prime food sources at a critical time of the year. Hiking in a minimum group size of four that must stay together, carrying bear spray, and leaving your dogs at home are simple and effective ways to avoid dangerous interactions with bears. You should consider following these best practices anytime you are out in bear country!
Ever wonder what bears do in July? Learn all about it from our friends at BearWise south of the border. “July at a Glance: By July, cubs born this year have grown to the size of a raccoon or a small dog with big ears. Yearling bears now on their own can be the size of medium dogs. Bears of both sexes mark trees and adult bears mate. Cubs smell their mother’s breath to learn what’s good to eat. Bears’ great memories help them return to proven food sources.” Click here to read the full article about What bears do in July.
Canmore Area Trails Strategy Engagement
The Canmore Area Trails Strategy (CATS) is our best chance to get good trails – and keep wildlife – in the Bow Valley. Click here to learn more and make your voice heard by the deadline of July 24!
We support the visionary work of Alberta Forestry and Parks in its bid to create a Canmore Area Trails Strategy: the Bow Valley Wildlands are precious, and it is imperative that they be properly managed to protect the natural values, fauna, and flora of this wonderful valley we call home.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
A bear's go-to sense is their nose. Wildlife Ambassador Derek looks up INSIDE a bear's nose to see why their sense of smell is 2,000 times better than ours.
WEEKLY WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WHEREABOUTS
In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads! You can find them talking to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Last weekend they were at Elbow Lake & Troll Falls in K-Country. Note: the locations they are stationed at may change at the last minute.
July 13 - Heart Creek in the Bow Valley, Fullerton & Allen Bill Day Use Areas in the Elbow Valley.
Keep an eye out for the Wildlife Ambassadors next time you are out on the trails in the Bow Valley and K-Country and be sure to say ‘hi’ and have a chat with them!
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Grizzly bear adopts her mom's abandoned cub in Kananaskis Country.
Black bear bluff charge prompts warning for Kananaskis trail.
Grizzly bears back in crosshairs as Alberta lifts hunting ban in select cases.
Certain 'problem' grizzly bears can now be hunted in Alberta.
'Unbelievable I survived': Yukon woman attacked by bear speaks out.
Bear accessing homes in Whistler's Alpine neighbourhood.
Ultra-runner near the end of a 50-mile excursion attacked by a bear in Yosemite Valley.
After highway death of a beloved bear in B.C., experts look for lessons.
Woman and her off-leash dog attacked by cougar in Vancouver Island provincial park.
Halifax-area community seeing a rise in bear sightings.
Animal crossing: Highway bridge aims to save California's cougars.
Cougar alert issued after livestock killed in North Okanagan.
How to stay safe while camping in bear country.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Depending on the weather, buffaloberries will need at least another week to ripen. Please be proactive and remove berry bushes and fruit trees from your yard NOW before you attract a bear into town. Leaving fruit in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk. Your tree blossoms will blossom into bear problems later! It is your responsibility to make sure that bears do not have a reason to linger in your yard, resulting in bears being relocated or destroyed.
Apply now for the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal Incentive to get cash back of up to $500/property for removing fruit trees from your yard. New this year - Condos or commercial properties with five or more trees for removal may be eligible for additional support (up to $1000/property) for 2024 only. This program is first-come first-served so apply now!
Buffaloberries are not quite ripe yet and are a bit spotty in the Bow Valley…at least another week to go. Photo taken on July 10, 2024.
Bears have also been seen eating ants this past week which can add up to a bunch of yummy calories for a bear! The photos below were taken in the past week near Canmore.
Here is the pile of ants moving around through pine needles before getting eaten…
This is what bear scat can look like after eating ants! Note the needles in the scat…
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Welcome to the Biosphere Institute team Jackie! In her role as the Community Engagement Intern, Jackie is super stoked to be working with the Green Team, our Environmental volunteers for the Canmore Folk Fest. A bit about Jackie: her favourite animal is a frog and her favourite pastime is a lake float. Feel free to say hi if you see her in town, or spend the day with her by volunteering at the Canmore Folk Fest!
Meet Jackie, our Community Engagement Intern.
WildSmart and some of our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors had a great time at the Canada Day celebrations in Canmore last week! It was great to see such a huge turnout from our amazing community. We set up our hands-on, interactive booth in Centennial Park and enjoyed talking to many locals and visitors (almost 400 people) about wildlife ecology and safety, discussing ways to avoid and handle encounters with wildlife and bear spray. Thanks to our amazing volunteers for their enthusiasm, dedication, and ability to educate the people who live in, and visit, the Bow Valley!
Wildlife Ambassadors in action at our Canada Day booth in Centennial Park on July 1, 2024.
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Come volunteer with us at this year’s Canmore Folk Fest! Our Green Team is looking for more volunteers to help with the Folk Fest’s waste diversion initiative. Last year we proudly aided in diverting 91.2% of the event’s waste out of landfills. Let’s keep raising that number!
All volunteers will receive a free full weekend pass to the Folk Fest! It’s a great opportunity to get involved with the community, help the planet, and listen to some great tunes. Sign up here and indicate that you would like to help with the "Environment Team.”
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley is hiring a part-time Financial Controller. This is a continuous intake process and we’ll hold interviews with suitable candidates during July 2024. Work and onboarding will commence during the summer months. The work schedule will be flexible and we anticipate that this work will occupy an average of ten hours per month.
UPCOMING EVENTS
July 20 - Parks Day 2024!
Join Alberta Parks staff for their Parks Day celebration on Saturday July 20 from 11am-2pm at Boulton Bridge Day Use Area in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
This free family friendly public event will have a variety of talks, games, interactive displays, a LIVE Interpretive Show, guided bear walks and cake eating! Our Wildlife Ambassadors will also be there with their hands-on interactive booth. Come on by, learn how to use bear spray and chat with them about responsible trail use, managing wildlife attractants, and how we can all work together to improve human-wildlife coexistence. Click here for the schedule of events and more info!
NOTE: On Parks Day (July 20) a Kananaskis Conservation Pass is NOT required!
Please remember BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in Kananaskis Country or the Bow Valley to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403.591.7755