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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
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park) For the period: June 4 to June 11, 2021
Wildlife activity is widespread throughout the Bow and Kananaskis Valleys and bears have been seen daily in some neighbourhoods feeding on dandelions in peoples' yards, as well as in the ditches along trails, roads and highways, and in places like the Canmore Nordic Centre and MD of Bighorn hamlets. Roadsides are where the dandelions are, and where the bears are for the next while, increasing the risk of roadside collisions everywhere. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife roadside. Do not stop to view wildlife and always stay in your vehicle!
There continue to be multiple reports of aggressive mother elk charging at and even making contact with people throughout the Town of Canmore. These incidents are occurring on both sides of the valley along trails, in backyards, parks, playgrounds, school yards and near green spaces. As such, the Elk Calving Warning remains in effect for Canmore. During elk calving season a mother elk will aggressively protect her calf by kicking and charging at you if she feels threatened. The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away - which is three school bus lengths - never try to sneak past them! Always carry bear spray and be prepared to use it when recreating in the Town of Canmore.
There have also been recent reports of bears and cougars in Canmore looking for elk calves. During May and June there is an increased risk of encountering predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes who are looking for an easy elk calf meal. This poses more public safety risks and often results on predators getting relocated or destroyed.
Black bear feeding on dandelions along the Legacy Trail. Photo by Derek Ryder.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Although the two elk closures in Canmore have been lifted, there continues to be an elk calving warning for the Town of Canmore. Some elk calves are already mobile and moving around with less defensive mothers, however there continue to be other cow elk dropping their babies across town and showing aggression towards people who are getting too close!
There continue to be reports of urban elk calves that have been placed near developed areas by their mothers. Please report urban elk calves to KES immediately by calling 403-591-7755. Do not get involved yourself or attempt to approach or move them as the mother elk is likely nearby and will aggressively protect her calf by kicking and charging at you if she feels threatened.
Wildlife Ambassador Karen is back with some important reminders about Elk Calving season!
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
With aggressive elk encounters in Canmore being frequent and recent bear attacks occurring that did not involved the deployment of bear spray, the focus of this bear report will be on bear spray and we will be answering some common questions about it.
BEAR SPRAY
Does bear spray actually work? YES! Watch the video below and read this article on the the Efficacy of Bear Spray. Results showed that in 90% of close-range encounters with black and brown bears, bear spray stopped the bear’s undesirable behaviour. It is important to note that 98% of persons carrying it were uninjured after a close encounter with bears. Bear spray is a very effective way of deterring a bear at close range and bear spray has also been shown to be effective at deterring other wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk, and it should be carried while walking on well-traveled trails, including the trails in and around town.
Does bear spray hurt the bear? Bear spray is non-lethal and the effects on the bear may last anywhere from 10-45 minutes. The bear will be disoriented, confused and will likely run away as it will have difficulty seeing and breathing, giving you time to get out of a dangerous situation.
In fact, by spraying a bear that approaches or charges at you with bear spray you might actually be saving its life! When bears get too close to humans, it is the bear that pays the price by getting relocated (only about 30% successful) or destroyed. By spraying the bear, you are giving it a negative experience to teach it a lesson that it is not OK to approach humans. Hopefully this will teach it to stay away from people in the future.
What happens if we spray ourselves? It is not pleasant, and it will sting your eyes, nose, throat and skin and may make you cough and gag. This may last up to two days but the effects will eventually go away. People have so much exposed skin (not fur like a bear) so it affects us longer. Read the first aid instructions on your can of bear spray and wash your skin with cool, clean running water. Do not rub if it gets on your skin.
How to carry it? Bear spray should be carried in an easily accessible location such as a chest or hip holster or a belt, not in your backpack! Whatever option works best for you (most efficient and quickest) is recommended and my personal preference is a belt. Here are several types of examples of holsters and belts that are available at Kodiak Wildlife Products and Scat Belt.
It is not enough to just carry it, you need to be mentally prepared to use it and physically able to pull it out and use it in time when necessary. Surprise encounters with bears can happen in under three seconds so you need to be confident, fast and efficient at pulling out your bear spray. PRACTICE removing your bear spray quickly, but stop short of spraying; conserve your supply for close encounters. See more practice suggestions below.
Does bear spray expire? YES! Be sure to check the expiry date on your can as bear spray normally expires after 2-3 years. In addition to checking the expiry date on the can, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on the back of the can for proper use of your spray.
Make sure your bear spray is not expired!
Why does bear spray expire? Bear spray is made with capsaicin, a chili pepper extract, and it's not the potency of the spray that diminishes over time. It is actually the propellant that may degrade over time and there may not be enough pressure in the can to effectively spray and distance, you might just get a dribble!
Should you use expired bear spray? NO! It is recommend that you replace your expired bear spray to avoid a situation like this. There is no guarantee that expired bear spray will work properly and you want to give yourself the greatest chance of successfully deterring a bear if/when the time comes.
Should you practice with real bear spray? It is not recommended to practice using actual bear spray as once the seal is broken, small leaks can occur in the can, possibly reducing the performance of the bear spray.
That being said, if you have an expired can of bear spray that you are planning on disposing of properly anyway, it may be a good opportunity for you to practice using real (expired) bear spray. However, if you are going to do this, make sure that you go to an isolated location far away from other people and houses (I.E. NOT IN YOUR BACKYARD, AT YOUR CAMPSITE OR ALONG A TRAIL)! Also make sure you take wind direction into account so that you don’t spray yourself.
The safest way to practice using bear spray is to buy inert training bear spray, which is what we use for our bear spray training sessions as there are no harmful effects if you accidentally spray some on yourself.
How do I dispose of expired cans? In Canmore, you can take expired bear spray to the Household Hazardous Waste area (near paint and light bulbs waste) at the 115 Boulder Crescent Recycling Depot (open every day 8:00 - 16:45). Most cities and communities have Household Hazardous Waste drop-of areas. Never put cans of bear spray in your garbage bins at home! Some designated fire stations in certain communities may accept them (maybe call first and check).
Should I leave my bear spray in my car? NO! It is important to remember not to leave your bear spray in the car on a hot day as it may explode. If you must leave your bear spray in the car, store it in a bear spray safety travel container and out of direct sunlight. When not in use, bear spray should be stored indoors in a safe place out of reach of children.
An example of bear spray that exploded in a car on a hot day. It was messy!
How do I use bear spray? Watch this video on How to Properly Use Bear Spray which is available with subtitles in ten languages.
Factors influencing bear spray performance: In a 2020 publication in the Journal of Wildlife Management, scientists examined the effects of temperature, wind, canister age, and repeated use on bear spray performance. The main takeaway is that bear spray is an important and effective deterrence tool in all areas where bears occur, even if it is windy or cold. Based on the results of this paper, they recommend the following guidelines:
Do not test‐fire cans intended for use in the field
Keep canisters warm when in the cold, tucking them inside a parka or sleeping bag
Retire canisters of bear spray when they are expired
Bear spray could save your life, your friend’s life and also a bear’s life!
BEARS IN THE NEWS
Although not a local story, a B.C. man was injured while protecting his off-leash dogs from a cougar.
This Massachusetts man got quite a shock when he was woken up from his nap by a bear touching his foot.
Here is an interesting article from BC to read about grizzly bears and cattle predation. Ranchers in Alberta are facing the exact same issues.
Food for Thought?
As was already mentioned, bears have been seen daily in people’s yards feeding on dandelions. Read about some good tips and reminders about the importance of managing/storing attractants at home, on the trail and while camping in order to help keep wildlife wild and people safe! It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that unnatural attractants such as garbage, compost, greasy bbq’s, bird-feeders, pet food and fruit bearing trees and shrubs are removed so that bears do not have a reason to linger in your yard, resulting in bears being relocated or destroyed.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
The Town of Banff is launching a resident wildlife awareness campaign alongside the Town of Canmore. The awareness campaign asks residents to rethink everyday behaviours that could attract large animals like bears, coyotes, wolves and cougars into the town site where they could endanger people and their pets, which can be deadly for the wildlife.
Lookout for different topics throughout the year, including information about birdfeeders, BBQs, fruit trees, and dogs and how these simple things can be dangerous to wildlife if humans don’t take extra care. The goal is to enhance people’s understanding that we are responsible for the stewardship of these animals in their home territory.
Downloaded from June 10 edition of the Rocky Mountain Outlook
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