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 SUMMARY
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park) For the period: July 16 to July 23, 2021
It is berry season and bears, mostly black bears, have been seen around Canmore on both sides of the valley, even along popular trails such as the Highline Trail. Many of the trails, day-use areas and picnic sites in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country continue to be very busy with people, resulting in numerous bear sightings and large amounts of garbage and waste left behind. As a result, there have been numerous warnings and closures put in place to give wildlife the space they need to feed undisturbed.
People need to pick up any garbage that has been left behind and ensure it is properly secured to avoid wildlife gaining access to it! Being exposed to unnatural food sources such as garbage puts wildlife at risk and increases public safety concerns around human-wildlife interactions. It has been said that “a fed bear is a dead bear”; wildlife can pay the price for our littering by getting relocated or destroyed.
Buffaloberries are often found in sunny areas along trails, roads and recreation areas, and bears continue to be seen feeding on ripe berries in the Bow Valley and down in K-Country. Bears will have their heads down focused on eating berries 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.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
With the large numbers of trail users this season, we can expect an increase in encounters between people and bears. You can help reduce this risk by staying out of closed areas, making lots of noise, travelling in groups, and keeping pets on a leash. It is also a good idea to “Know before you go” by finding out where the bear warnings are and planning accordingly; avoiding these areas can also reduce your risks of encounters. Trail users need to mentally prepare themselves to handle bear encounters and expect to run into a bear while out on the trails! Carry bear spray to use in case of accidental close encounters.
Some ripe buffaloberries! Photo taken this week.
For more information on areas in the Bow Valley frequented by bears at this time of year visit our human-bear conflict summary map.
BEARS IN THE NEWS
Watch this black bear family going for a swim at a beach in California.
Residents in Revelstoke are reminded to keep fruit trees clear and garbage secured as one black bear has been killed so far this year.
A mother black bear is observed grieving over her dead cub that was killed by a vehicle in Yosemite National Park.
Read the Facebook post by a Yosemite National Park employee about this heartbreaking reality of her job, having to pick up dead bears after they have been hit by a vehicle.
Check out these pictures of an endearing moment between a mama grizzly bear and her cub.
Food for Thought?
Berry season is here and there have already been sightings of bears feasting on delicious ripe buffaloberries! They take this job very seriously, eating up to 200,000 berries per day and focusing on it for over 20 hours per day! As such, bears will have their heads down feeding on berries and they can be very defensive of their berry bushes, especially if surprised. We need to make extra noise and be vigilant (that means NOT wearing headphones/earbuds) when travelling through bear country.
Shepherdia canadensis, more commonly known as Buffaloberry. Red berries are most common but they can also be orange or yellow.
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.
A positive, proactive step that you can take is to remove unripe 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.
An example of some unripe cherries that are ready to be removed!
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
The Bow Valley wolf pack has produced at least six pups and possibly as many as nine this year! Parks Canada has proactively extended and modified a closure area to protect the young wolves from human presence and disturbance. Find out more by clicking here to read the full article.
While we are talking about young, check out this video below of a mother grizzly bear rushing to check on her three cubs that get washed over the falls in Alaska. Mothers never seem to be able to take a break from parenting when they have young around!
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