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BEAR ACTIVITY SUMMARY FOR THE BOW VALLEY
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park) For the period: April 3 to April 10, 2020
SUMMARY
Happy Easter to all and we hope that you are all staying safe and healthy this long weekend!
It appears that all of the collared bears in Kananaskis Country remain in or at their dens. This does not mean you can be complacent as there may be non-collared bears out and about. There certainly are non-hibernating wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk out on trails and even in town! Keep in mind that with trails and streets being emptier than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some wildlife may become bolder and venture further into towns and even cities.
Even the lynx are doing their part and physically distancing! Photo by Alberta Parks Ecology
When you are outside enjoying some fresh air close to home in your neighbourhood, please remain vigilant and remember these tips for responsible trail use and to reduce the risk of close encounters with wildlife:
Make lots of noise in order to alert humans AND wildlife to your presence.
GIVE THEM SPACE! Physical distancing is important for humans AND wildlife! Remember to stay a minimum of 2 metres from people, 30 metres from deer, elk and sheep and 100 metres from bears, wolves and other carnivores!
Be aware of your surroundings (look and listen for wildlife and their signs, including tracks and scat). That includes not wearing earbuds/headphones, which will limit your ability to hear approaching humans AND wildlife.
Stay close to home and enjoy the outdoors with your family or the people you are self-isolating with. Keep children close by and avoid heading out at dusk, dawn or at night. If you must go for a walk alone, please make sure you are making extra noise, be extra-aware of your surroundings, and carry bear spray with you in an easily accessible location.
KEEP DOGS ON-LEASH unless you are in a designated off-leash dog area. Also remember to pick up after your dogs as their feces can act as an attractant for bears.
Obey area and trail closures. Help give wildlife space by not entering closed areas!
Carry bear spray in an easily accessible location, know how to use it and be prepared to use it. Bear spray should be carried while walking on well travelled trails, including the trails in and around town, and is also effective against non-hibernating wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk.
If you have not already done so, please take down your bird feeders and clean up the ground underneath. The Town of Canmore Wildlife Attractant Bylaw only allows bird feeders to be hung from December 1 to March 31. Click here for details.
CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Alberta’s Provincial Parks are closed to vehicle access until further notice. A complete list of all warnings and closures is available here for Alberta Parks in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country.
Parks Canada’s Parks are closed to vehicle access until further notice. A complete list of all warnings and closures is available here for Banff National Park.
Here is a list of some Annual Closures in Kananaskis Country.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Have you ever wondered where grizzly bear dens are in the mountains? They are probably in more rugged terrain than you would have guessed. Take a look at this Twitter thread that Clayton Lamb has posted to find out more details (click on the “Show this thread” link underneath the picture in the Twitter thread). Here are some of his very cool Google Earth images of these den locations and all are above 2000m in elevation.
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