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The information below is based upon 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 (May 4-11, 2023)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Bear activity has picked up this week resulting in an increase in bear sightings throughout the Bow Valley, including along the train tracks next to the Legacy Bike Trail between Banff and Canmore, on both sides of the valley near residential areas in Canmore and towards the east near Bow Valley Provincial Park. Both black and grizzly bears continue to be seen down in Kananaskis Country, including female bears with cubs looking for food. Often found roadside, they are feeding on grass and digging for roots. Be observant on the highway to avoid collisions with bears. As bears continue to frequent green up areas (which are often areas also frequented by people), you can expect more bear warnings to be posted in the coming weeks, and please remember to obey all closures! Deer, elk and sheep are also feeding roadside right now and so extra caution is needed, especially at night!
Speaking of warnings, a Bear Warning was just posted for the Kananaskis Country Golf Course due to multiple black and grizzly bears feeding in the area. The warning includes the entire golf course and all affiliated structures as well as the residence area.
When using the trails, people should be thinking about bears and expecting encounters so that they are mentally prepared to properly handle those encounters. Make lots of noise to alert bears to your presence, travel in a group keeping kids close by, keep pets on a leash and carry bear spray in an accessible location, and know how to use it!
Grizzly bear waking up from a morning nap! Photo taken on May 9, 2023 down in Kananaskis Country
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
The ditches along the highways are greening up - drawing all kinds of wildlife roadside looking for springtime food (some of the best snow-free areas are along the highway ditches). Roadside feeding is critical for bears at this time of year! We ALL need to drive responsibly and constantly scan for wildlife feeding roadside. We ALL need to do the following to avoid injuring or killing wildlife:
OBEY SPEED LIMITS
OBEY “NO STOPPING SIGNS”
SAFE VIEWING DISTANCE FOR BEARS IS 100M, BUT YOU MUST ALWAYS OBEY ALL TRAFFIC LAWS!
IF YOU SEE A BEAR ROADSIDE, SLOW DOWN AND CONTINUE DRIVING PAST
DO NOT STOP TO VIEW WILDLIFE AND ALWAYS STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE!
AVOID CAUSING BEAR JAMS THAT CAUSE UNNECESSARY STRESS AND UNSAFE CONDITONS FOR BEARS
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
We can’t prevent bears from walking through town or our backyards, but we certainly can do our best not to give them a food reward or a reason to linger! Keep them moving along by ensuring your yards are free of attractants such as food, garbage, recycling, pet food, greasy bbqs and bird feeders.
Some great tips from Wildlife Ambassador Karen!
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
The BC Conservation Officer Service says there has been an increase in bear activity as bears access unprotected garbage, bird seed, compost, dog food and bee hives.
This article from Utah talks about what to do if you encounter a cougar.
A black bear was euthanized in Kelowna because it had become habituated to human garbage.
A worker is recovering from a bear attack at Suncor’s base plant north of Fort McMurray this past weekend.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Living and recreating safely in bear country means understanding many things, from signs that bears are around, to what to do in a bear encounter. As we wander in the wilderness (or even in town sites) we are travelling in a bear’s home: their living areas, dining areas, and even their bathrooms. Recognizing the food sources that bears are currently eating can help raise your awareness of the possibility that bears are around where you are at any given moment. In this series of articles each month, written by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, we’re going to look at what bears are eating right now, and for the next few weeks.
Bears are omnivores, but while they love the ability to get a good protein source like an elk or a deer, almost 80% of a bear’s diet is fruits and vegetables. This is true of both grizzly bears and black bears in the Bow Valley. Most people know that bears love berries, but it isn’t berry season in May. So what ARE bears eating this month? Research on bear diets clearly shows that an early season food source are the new, fresh shoots of the Horsetail family of plants. To a bear, all members of the Horsetail family are just good eats. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Horsetails!
Click on this image of Horsetails to read the full article!
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
We know we have shared this video with you before, but in honour of Mother’s Day and all the amazing mothers out there, hopefully this video puts a smile on your face and makes you think about how hard it is for mother bears to keep themselves and their cubs safe in this dangerous world. This video does an excellent job of vocalizing what it can be like to be a parent, specifically a mother. It is hard work taking care of four cubs for a mother bear and if you add to that cars speeding and people stopping to take pictures and stressing them out, it makes it even harder. It is pawsitive to see these cars waiting patiently while she struggles to get her cubs across safely!
Upcoming Events
May 13 - Garage Sale for Earth
Come on out and support these amazing young ladies (Zoe, Hadley, Maya & Abigail) at their garage sale fundraiser event coming up on Saturday May 13 from 10am-2pm. All proceeds will go to support the Biosphere Institute to advance our work on human-wildlife coexistence and climate-action.
May 15 - Earth Talks Speaker Series
Join Lynda Pianosi and Nick de Ruyter at the Canmore Public Library for their presentation Family Hiking: Making it as Easy as 1-2-3. Learn the key things you should know for a safe and enjoyable day on the trail! This event is FREE and will take place on Monday, May 15th, 2023, in the Friends Program Room from 7-8pm. Registration is required to attend in-person, or you can join online LIVE via Zoom by clicking here. We will offer a short bear spray training session for in-person participants who are able to stay after 8pm!
Living with the beautiful Rocky Mountains in our backyard, we are surrounded by nature, wildlife, and hiking trails galore. But do you know which trails are family friendly, or how to choose the best hike for all the members of your group? Have you wondered what you should pack in a first aid kit or how to use bear spray? At this Earth Talks presentation, you'll learn all that, and more! Nick and Lynda will touch base on the key things you should know to make your family hiking experience safe and enjoyable! Click here for more info.
Attend a FREE Interactive Bear Aware webinar on Wednesday May 17th at 7pm hosted by the Town of Banff and Parks Canada! The 60-minute online session will be led by two Parks Canada wildlife specialists and includes a presentation on how to identify different types of bears, common bear behaviours and tools and tips to prevent bear encounters. Click here to register.
June 3 - Green Buildings Open House
The Green Buildings Open House tour map is now live! Join us on June 3rd for a free tour of energy-efficient homes to see how other people tackle energy efficiency and deep energy retrofits and get your questions answered by those who have lived it! Check out the listings of the eight properties we have across the valley for you to visit by clicking here!
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 Emergency Services at 403.591.7755