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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 (July 13-20, 2023)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
It is berry season (and the crop is looking good) and there continues to be a lot of bear activity in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country as the bears are taking full advantage of the abundance and feeding on ripe berries. Be prepared and on the lookout for bears feeding on buffaloberries while you recreate, as many berry bushes are found along popular trails. Making lots of noise is the best way to alert bears of your presence and it gives them time to clear the area. Everyone visiting bear country needs to have good situational awareness and always be aware of their surroundings, expect bear encounters, and give bears the space they need (at least 100 m or 10 school bus lengths) to forage undisturbed in this crucial, short window of time.
Campers and day users need to be very diligent in securing wildlife attractants (garbage, food and other scented items), even when they are still at their campsite or picnic area. Garbage left at trail-heads and day use areas has also been a concern and please be reminded to take your waste to a bear proof bin, or if the garbage bin is full find another bin or pack your garbage out with you! We can’t prevent bears from walking through our picnic areas and campsites, but we can certainly do our best not to give them a food reward or reason to linger!
Mountain bikers need to be making lots of noise (yelling and shouting) on the trails, especially up at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Bears are feeding on berries very close to trails and bikers are coming up on them quickly with little warning to the bears. In addition to letting wildlife know they are coming down the trail (by making noise), bikers should 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.
If you are going outdoors in the Bow Valley and K-Country it is very probable you may come into contact with a bear. 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. Mentally prepare for this and understand how you should react! This includes carrying your bear spray, knowing how to use it and using it if the situation warrants it.
Mother grizzly bear and cub in K-Country feeding on buffaloberries on July 17, 2023. Make lots of noise to alert them to your 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
We are in berry season and it is important to note that buffaloberries are often found in sunny areas along trails, roads and recreation areas, so trail users should always expect to encounter a bear while out on the trails or at day use areas. Bears will have their heads down focused on eating berries and not paying attention, so it is up to all of us to make lots of noise to alert them of our presence to help avoid those surprise encounters.
In this video, there are some great tips for being safely prepared as you head out into bear country during the berry season.
Bears and other wildlife continue to be seen on and near roads. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife but don’t stop and always stay in your vehicle! 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.
If you have not already done so, please complete this 15-minute online survey or scan the QR code below. Thank you for doing your part to help improve human-wildlife coexistence!
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
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. Every month we’re going to look at what bears are eating right now, and for the next few weeks, and in this edition of What are the Bears eating today? by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, it is Berries.
Welcome to berry season! When it comes to berries, of course we endlessly talk of shepherdia, and that’s an absolutely prime source of berries for bears. There are places in K-Country where there are a LOT fewer shepherdia bushes, or where the berry crop just isn’t as good. If you’re a bear living in that space, what berries do you eat? Well, one berry you DON’T eat are strawberries. Why? We know strawberries are delicious and sweet. Why do bears NOT eat strawberries?
The simple answer is “density”. Anyone who has walked through an alpine meadow can find lots of strawberry plants, but there just aren’t a lot of berries. Bears are eating 200,000 shepherdia berries a day to get the calories they need at this time of year. Anyone who has gone wild strawberry hunting knows Mr. Bear would basically have to lick square miles of ground to find that many strawberries – and he still probably wouldn’t get that many. So while strawberries are tasty, bears just don’t bother, since they’re too much work for too little reward. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Berries!
Click on this image of Berries 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 July 22
West Bragg Creek
Grassi Lakes Trailhead
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
Fruitful buffaloberry crop prompts public advisory as bears feed throughout the Bow Valley.
An article titled ‘To save bears, we must learn to live alongside them.’
B.C. campground evacuated after cougar kills pets.
Cougar kills dog in B.C.: What to do when you come across the 'stalking' animal.
Positive ticketing is coming back to Canmore for its third year to create positive interactions between law enforcement and the community as well as to increase personal safety.
Exshaw residents on the hook to keep dogs on leash.
B.C. looking for input on grizzly bear stewardship and viewing.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Bear scat can be an indication of bear activity in the area. During berry season bear scat looks a lot like strawberry jam! Keep an eye out for it on the trails and do not linger in areas with fresh scat. If you do stumble upon some fresh scat out on the trails, remember to be extra vigilant, make extra noise to alert potential bears of your presence, and consider turning around if you are not prepared to handle a possible encounter with a bear. Always have your bear spray readily accessible!
This is what 200,000 berries looks like when it comes out as bear scat!
A positive proactive step that you can take is to remove fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash and chokecherry) from your trees NOW before you have a bear in your tree. Leaving fruit in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk. For example, Dogwood and cherries are ripening around town and should be removed before they ripen. 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.
An example of ripe cherries in Canmore on July 20, 2023.
In an effort to reduce conflict between bears and people in Canmore, the Town of Canmore is running their voluntary fruit tree removal incentive program again. Homeowners are invited to express their interest in participating in the program which will cover 100% of the pre-tax cost of removal of the fruit tree(s) or bush(es) by an arborist or tree removal service up to $500/property. The program is first-come first-served while funds are available. Click here for more details.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
WildSmart and some of our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors had a great time at Parks Day on July 15 at the Elkwood Amphitheatre! It was great to see such an awesome turnout from campers and hikers down in Kananaskis Country. As always, the Wildlife Ambassadors did a great job at their hands-on, interactive booth, and enjoyed talking to visitors (almost 300 people) about responsible trail use, berry season, wildlife ecology, avoiding and handling encounters with wildlife and of course, bear spray.
Thanks to the Alberta Parks Interpretive Team for hosting us and providing some very interesting natural history talks, art programs and very delicious cake!
We also had a great turnout for our bear awareness hike, where participants learned how to use bear spray, how to avoid bear encounters, and how to handle a variety of different bear encounters with help from an Alberta Parks Interpretive Team bear!
Thanks again to our amazing volunteers for their enthusiasm and ability to educate the people who live in, and visit, the Bow Valley and K-Country. Here they are in action at Parks Day!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join us for the first-ever Building for Sustainability symposium, to be held 5-6 November in beautiful Canmore, Alberta! Register today for our early bird rate of just $180!
Registration includes…
Keynote David Dodge: Building a Sustainable Future for Alberta
An entertaining live podcast brought to you by the talented Energy vs Climate crew: What matters – and really doesn’t matter – when Building for Sustainability.
Elected leaders panel: What we’re doing to accelerate Building for Sustainability.
Your choice of 15 exceptional workshops highlighting best practices in Alberta and Canada
Closing comments by students: What We Heard – and our call to Action
full breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks on Monday, 6 November
This Symposium is brought to you by two somewhat unlikely partners: a community environmental group and a local builders and developers association, with support from our fantastic event sponsors.
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