Did you know that WildSmart is a program of the Biosphere Institute, a local charity? Our work relies entirely on donations and sponsors. If you would like to support our community-based efforts to promote human-wildlife coexistence, please donate!
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 (Aug 10-17, 2023)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Bear sightings in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country have been steady throughout the week and in addition to eating the remaining buffaloberries, bears are keying in on the dogwood berries so we are seeing an increase in bear activity in areas where dogwood is present.
There has been a noticeable increase in bear sightings on trails lately so it is crucial for trail users to recognize and learn that they are sharing space with wildlife! Some simple things they can do are make noise to alert wildlife to their presence, travel in groups, stay on designated trails, keep dogs on a leash at all times and be extra aware of their surroundings. Trail users need to mentally prepare themselves to handle bear encounters, expect to run into a bear while out on the trails, and carry bear spray to use in case of accidental close encounters.
With the heat there has been an increase in nighttime bear activity including dawn and dusk. If you are recreating during these times be extra cautious. High-speed activities such as trail-running and mountain biking can pose extra risk as there is less time for wildlife to react and move off of the trail, resulting in an increased chance of surprise encounters. Some tips are to make lots of noise and slow down when coming around blind corners, over blind hills and in areas with thick vegetation.
Picnickers and campers need to remember to properly secure all wildlife attractants (garbage, food etc.) and never leave their food unattended! It is THEIR responsibility to make sure that garbage finds its way into a bear proof bin. We can’t prevent bears from walking through our yards, picnic areas and campsites, but we can certainly do our best not to give them a food reward or reason to linger!
Bears will have their heads down focused on feeding and not paying attention so it is up to us to make lots of noise to alert them of our presence to help avoid those surprise encounters.
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
As mentioned earlier, there has been an increase in bear sighting on trails in the Bow Valley and K-Country so ALL trail users need to mentally prepare themselves to handle bear encounters (think about what you will do before you head out on the trail) and expect to run into a bear while out on the trails!
This human-bear conflict summary map for berry season gives you a good sense of the areas frequented by bears at this time of year in the Bow Valley.
As part of our Trusted Messengers project, we worked with various community groups to develop conservation messages tailored to their peer or recreational user group. Messages were delivered through conversations, video, social media, or a combination. Below is an example of an infographic we created with the Canmore and Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) to help mountain bikers understand that there are aspects of riding, namely speed, that present additional challenges compared to other user groups. CAMBA also wrote a great blog article about ‘Sharing the Trails’ that is meant to educate and raise awareness about our impact on wildlife so that trail users can make informed decisions about how to potentially try and reduce that impact.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Kananaskis Country is home to a lot of animals, including bears. Recreating safely in bear country means more than just knowing what to do in a bear encounter. It’s also understanding signs that bears are around, so that maybe those encounters can be prevented.
Bears are big enough that they almost always leave evidence that they’ve been present – if you know what to look for. Keeping your eyes peeled for this evidence can help you be aware if bears are present, and will decrease the risk that you’ll accidentally run into a bear. Every month we’re going to learn about some of the signs bears leave in the forest, and in this edition of Watching for Bear Signs by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, it is Flipped Rocks.
A prime food for bears any time they’re awake is ants. A few months ago, I noted that broken logs were a good sign bears were going after Carpenter ants. Being opportunistic feeders, bears often just sniff for things on their travels. Finding an ant colony as they walk from point A to point B is kind of a food “freebee”. And one place ants live is under rocks.
It is not the slightest bit uncommon to be walking on a trail, through a meadow, or in an open forest, and find rocks that have been flipped over. Usually, the flipped rocks are big; the bigger the rock, the more that can hide under it. In the last few weeks alone, I’ve seen rocks flipped over that were so heavy, it was hard for me to move them. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Flipped Rocks!
Click on this image of a flipped rock to read the full article!
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 to talk to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: the locations they go to may change at the last minute. Here is where they will be next…
Saturday August 19 and Sunday August 20
Weather dependant, but possibly in Canmore, Chester Lake or Burstall Pass.
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
Cougar warning issued for Kananaskis YMCA Camp Chief Hector.
Parks Canada charges 14 illegal campers at Johnson Lake.
Dog owners charged following bear incident in Jasper National Park involving off-leash dog.
Picnics temporarily banned at 3 Coquitlam parks in B.C. after multiple bear encounters.
Hikers pull out phones to film passing black bear and cubs in Grand Teton National Park.
Churchill on track for record number of polar bear reports this season.
Surprisingly deadly summer for Lake Tahoe bears: 20 killed, 18 hurt in vehicle collisions.
Grizzly bear euthanized north of Yellowstone after preying on cattle on private land.
Bear sightings across the Yukon prompt calls for caution.
Elder and daughter attacked by polar bear on expedition to repatriate Inuit remains.
Two bears shot in Yellowknife, four more being tracked.
Grizzly bear and pack of wolves fight over elk carcass in Yellowstone National Park.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Fruit trees are the main attractants that will draw bears into residential areas and NOW is the time to remove the fruit before you have a bear in your tree. Leaving fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash, chokecherry and dogwood) in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk. 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. The best practice is to remove fruit bearing trees and shrubs from your yard, however if you decide to keep your fruit bearing trees and shrubs, please ensure the fruit is removed BEFORE it is ripe!
Image downloaded from the August 25, 2022 edition of the RM Outlook.
As per the Community Standards Bylaw, residents can be fined for letting fruit and berries accumulate on trees and on the ground in their yards. If you prefer to remove your fruit tree (recommended), the Town of Canmore is running their voluntary fruit tree removal incentive program again. Click here for more information and details about how to participate.
We have pruning shears and extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist Bow Valley residents in removing fruit and berry bushes from their property. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit removal equipment.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
It has been just over two weeks since we partnered with our friends at the Town of Canmore and Alpine Precision Tree Services to remove the mountain ash trees from the Friendship Park area. As mentioned in our Aug.3 Bear Report, the RM Outlook was on-site to cover the story and it has since been published online as well as in the August 10 paper.
Our Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors have been going door-to-door in downtown Canmore having positive interactions and educating residents about the importance of removing wildlife attractants such as fruit trees, as well as the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program. For those residents who are hesitant to remove their fruit trees, our Ambassadors are reminding them that the Biosphere Institute has pruning shears and extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist with fruit removal. As such, at least 8 residents have borrowed our fruit picking equipment to remove the fruit from their trees NOW before they get a bear in them. Keep up the good work Canmore!
Screenshot taken from August 15 RM Outlook article written by Cathy Ellis.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sep.18 - Earth Talks: Together is Better: Community Green Energy Generation in Alberta
The climate is talking, and communities are listening! Join Jodi Conuel for a presentation and discussion about how community generation is advancing Alberta's green energy transition.
Attendees will learn about:
The importance of community collaboration in effective action and how to build a successful initiative
What is community generation, and how does it work in Alberta?
How can you get involved and benefit from community generation projects?
This FREE Earth Talks event will take place on Monday, Sep.18th, 2023, in the Friends Program Room at 7:00 pm at the Canmore Public Library. Registration is required to attend in-person, or you can join online LIVE via Zoom 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