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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 SUMMARY (May 12-19, 2022)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
The upcoming long weekend will bring more people into the Mountain Parks than bears have been accustomed to in recent weeks. As a result, there will likely be a spike in bear sightings and we all need to do our part to help keep people and wildlife safe!
Bears continue to be seen along trails, roads and in residential neighbourhoods throughout the Bow Valley! There have been several bear sightings at the Canmore Nordic Centre and other parts of Kananaskis Country, including mother bears with young cubs on trails and by the roadside. This has resulted in two bear warnings and one closure in place down in K-Country to give bears space to move about and feed undisturbed.
Mating season has arrived. Mating season brings larger male bears down into the valley bottoms where they have more potential to run into people. These bears may have other things on their mind and so may not be particularly attentive to their surroundings! As such, people need to be extra aware of their own surroundings to avoid surprise encounters.
Elk calving season has started! Mother elk can become very protective of their calves, aggressively kicking or charging if they feel threatened. The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away - which is three school bus lengths, and not try to sneak past them!
Grizzly Bear crossing Banff Ave. in Banff NP on May 14, 2022. Filmed by Rob (Banff Resident)
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 green grass and dandelions along the highways are drawing all kinds of wildlife to the roadside as this is their springtime food. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife but don’t stop and always stay in your vehicle!
Roadside vegetation is some of the first to green up at this time of the year and fulfills important habitat needs for bears. Other animals like elk, deer and sheep rely on this same early season green up which means a higher risk for vehicle collisions with wildlife.
A young black bear feeding roadside in K-Country. Photo taken on May 18, 2022.
Kananaskis Conservation Pass: A reminder that all vehicles stopping in Kananaskis Country and provincial sites in the Bow Valley Corridor will need to purchase a Kananaskis Conservation Pass.
Elk Calving Season (May-June): People need to be extra vigilant of mother elk that will be hiding their calves in dense vegetation near parks, fields and trails. Mother elk can become very defensive and will aggressively protect their calves by kicking and charging at you if they feel threatened. The presence of newborn calves can also attract predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes into town who are looking for an easy meal. This increases the chance that people visiting these areas may encounter predators who are either feeding on or searching for calves. Carry bear spray, keep your pets on a leash and leave at least 30 meters of space between yourself and all elk.
Photo taken on May 18, 2022 in Canmore.
With bears being seen at the Canmore Nordic Centre, some reminders for trail runners and mountain bikers who move quickly and often quietly along the trails. Make lots of noise (yell, shout) to let wildlife know you are coming down the trail and slow down to avoid surprise encounters with wildlife, especially around blind corners, at the tops of hills, or in areas with thick vegetation and poor sight lines. It is also a good idea to keep ear buds out for better situational awareness, check behind you to make sure you are not being followed by wildlife, and always carry bear spray in an accessible location, and know how to use it!
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Parks Canada warns elk calving season is underway in the Bow Valley.
A well-known 26-year old mother grizzly bear in Wyoming is now an empty nester after her 4 cubs have finally left home.
A US Army soldier was killed and another injured in a bear attack in Alaska.
A startled grizzly bear bluff charged a cyclist on Highway 40 down in K-Country!
Read about a recent rare sighting of a moose near Canmore.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Some things are out of our control, but with the long weekend coming up, properly securing your food and garbage is something you can control!
Never feed any wildlife and never leave food unattended!
If you see garbage on the ground, help out by picking it up and putting it in a bin
If the bin is full, take the garbage home with you
Never leave food or garbage on the ground!
We can’t prevent bears from walking through our picnic areas, campsites and backyards, but we can certainly can do our best not to give them a food reward or a reason to linger! Keep them moving along by ensuring your campsites and yards are free of attractants such as food, garbage, pet food, greasy bbq’s and bird feeders.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
"BUSTING BEAR MYTHS" BY DEREK RYDER, WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR
Myth#2: Bears rear up on their hind legs, and roar, then attack you.
Fact: That’s a lot of movie nonsense. Bears do stand up on their back feet, but they’re not particularly stable in that position, and really can’t move on 2 feet very well or very far. They stand up to see better, and get a better smell of you. Bears see about as well as you do, so standing up lets them see a bit farther, or see over bushes, grasses or shrubs. But bears have a fantastic sense of smell. By standing up, they get out of the strong scents of the ground, and into the scents of the air. They get a better smell of what’s farther away.
Bears do vocalize, but not that often. They don’t roar like you see in the movies. They do growl, and they also clomp their jaws together to make a clapping sound. As a rule of thumb, neither of these things are good from your perspective. Bears usually only vocalize when they are mad at something. Bears also growl at wolves, which they see as a threat. To a bear, your dog looks like a wolf, and bears and wolves don’t get along. Vocalizations directed at people are a bear’s way of communicating with you to back off and get away.
Bears stand up to see better, and get a better smell of you!
Wildlife Ambassador Sandy has some gardening tips to pass on! We may think of little bugs and insects as pests, but they are extremely vital to our greater ecosystem, and the larger critters who feed on them. Not to mention, let’s protect our bees! 🐝 It’s important to avoid disturbing their diapause (ie. hibernation) or larvae nests in our gardens. Don’t forget - leave the leaves, until it’s 10 degrees!
Some great gardening tips from Wildlife Ambassador Sandy!
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
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. Last Saturday, May 14th, WildSmart and the Wildlife Ambassadors went to Redwood Meadows to chat with residents and visitors about how to keep people and wildlife safe, and gave them the opportunity to learn how to use bear spray using inert training spray.
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!
Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors in action in Redwood Meadows on May 14, 2022.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS!
Thank you to everyone who has helped us fill the spots at our upcoming CASINO! This is a wonderful opportunity for our organization to raise significant funds! The casino will be held on Wednesday 25 May and Thursday 26 May at the ACE Casino Blackfoot, located at 42 Ave SE Calgary. Your food, travel, and accommodation are free if you volunteer.
We still need to fill the following 2 shifts so please sign up today:
May 26, 11:15pm - 3:30am: COUNT ROOM VOLUNTEERS x2 (NIGHT SHIFT)
EVENTS
Canmore’s first Electric Vehicle Expo will take place at Elevation Place on Saturday, May 28, in partnership with Bow Valley Climate Action Society! The event is open to the public from 10am - 4pm. There is no registration required and the event is free.
Come by to see our exhibitors including local businesses, community organizations, and electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts. There will be cars, e-bikes, and electric motorcycles to see, and prizes to win, so you don’t want to miss out!
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