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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: July 9 to July 16, 2021
There continue to be numerous bear sightings along trails, roadsides and in residential areas and campgrounds resulting in various warnings and closures. Both types of bears have been seen inside Canmore’s town footprint (near the high school, Larch and Lion’s park area for example) and at the Canmore Nordic Centre (CNC).
Bears have also been seen feeding on berries in the last few days and the warm weather has and will accelerate the ripening of buffaloberries. Buffaloberries are often found in sunny areas along trails, roads and recreation areas, and ripe berries have already been seen at the CNC, around town and even down in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. Bears will have their heads down feeding on berries so there is a higher chance that trail users will have encounter a bear. Expect to see more bear warnings and closures being put in place in the weeks ahead to give wildlife the space they need to feed and to keep the large numbers of visitors we are seeing safe. It looks like this year’s berry crop might be lower in abundance than previous years, and it may even be a shorter berry season too.
Please be proactive and remove berry bushes and fruit trees from your yards NOW before you attract a bear into town. 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.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Some places like Lake Minnewanka near Banff (see restricted activity notice below) have seasonal trail restrictions in effect to increase public safety and minimize the displacement of grizzly bears from prime food sources. Hiking in a minimum group size of four, carrying bear spray and leaving your dogs at home are simple and effective ways to avoid dangerous interactions during this critical time of year.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
A bear warning was put in place last weekend at Spray Lakes West Campground after a black bear entered a campsite and consumed food that was on a picnic table (see picture below). Alberta Parks is asking all parks visitors and campers to be extra vigilant in securing their food and other items that attract bears, even when people are still at their campsite or picnic area. It is important to always have your bear spray ready and available, just in case you get any unwanted four-legged visitors.
This particular bear has not caused any more issues at this time. 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!
Photo taken by Conservation Officer at Spray Lakes West Campground.
If a bear approaches or enters your campsite:
Stay calm
Do not run
Keep your group together
Prepare to use your bear spray
Yell and make yourself appear larger, wave your arms and/or sound your vehicle’s horn
If the bear does not retreat, grab your food and any items that attract bears (if it is safe to do so), slowly back away and retreat to your vehicle
Report the incident to the campground staff or Kananaskis Emergency Services (403-591-7755). If it is an emergency and you have cell reception, call 911.
BEARS IN THE NEWS
Wildlife officials shot and killed a grizzly bear in Montana on Friday that was believed to have been involved in the fatal attack of a California woman that we mentioned last week.
Yoho National Park is enforcing no stopping zones to protect bears.
WildSmart was on Global TV yesterday to talk about bear spray tips, what we are seeing out on the trails, and how to help support our education and outreach programs by donating!
Food for Thought?
What are the Bears eating today? by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide
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. In this series of articles, each month, we’re going to look at what bears are eating right now, and for the next few weeks.
Ask most folks what a bear’s favourite food is, and “berries” are always among the top answers. But it’s not berry season yet, and won’t be until later this month. The Dandelions are starting to go away (even in my neighbour’s yard). Between the end of Dandelion season & the core of berry season, bears start to take advantage of the roots of the fresh growing plants.
Grizzly bears in particular are diggers; that's where those super big claws and that big shoulder muscle that forms the hump come in handy. Bears dig for a lot of food and leave a lot of evidence that they have been digging. The photo is of a black bear dig I found at this time of year in 2020. But what are they digging for?
One of the plant families they like is the pea family. The common name of the most popular food is Sweet-Vetch, with the Latin family name Hedysarum. Grizzlies LOVE to dig for the roots of these plants, especially in the spring and fall outside of berry season. In central BC, where there are fewer berries, studies have shown Hedysarum is actually their main summer food source. The picture to the left is Hedysarum. Like most patches of Hedysarum you’ll find in the alpine, it had old bear digs next to it.
We have several types of Hedysarum, and they get a bit confusing with all the names (Northern, Mackenzie, Utah, Yellow, Alpine and Western are just some of the varieties here). You can generally call them all Sweet-Vetch. Grizzlies in particular have two they like, and you should get to know what those two look like. The purple ones in the photo above are Northern Sweet-Vetch, h. borale, the most common species in the alpine. They are hands down, a Grizzly favourite. We also have Yellow Sweet-Vetch, h. sulphurescens, which is similar, but are whitish-yellow flowers, and lives at lower elevations. They are pictured at right.
Another member of the pea family that they eat occasionally are some of the many species of Milkvetches. That’s the common name for a large group of pea-like plants in the Astralagus family. Bears, especially grizzlies, don’t eat Milkvetches nearly as much (they appeal more to Black Bears), but they’ll do in a pinch. You’ll find a lot of Milkvetch species in the Bow Valley, so worthwhile learning to differentiate it from actual Hedysarum species. Yet another Vetch to look for is an introduced escapee from agriculture: Cow Vetch, Vicia cracca. You can see purple Cow vetch flowers to the left. They look a LOT like a purple version of Yellow Sweet-Vetch.
Most Vetches are somewhat vine-like, with massed, droopy small flowers on a long, straight stem. Northern Sweet-Vetch grows in patches and isn’t usually that tall. Yellow Sweet-Vetch tends to grow more solitarily. My street has a HUGE strip of Yellow Sweet-Vetch on it, as you can see in the picture to the right. Later in the season (around mid-August) these plants will show their heritage and put out pea pods, and those are edible too. But bears like plants with DENSITY (lots of food in a small space means less work). There can be several hundred tasty roots on my street, but there will never be that many pea pods. While they might eat the pea pods, it’s generally not worth their effort.
Bears aren't the only ones who like Vetch roots; the Indigenous peoples of North America ate Hedysarum. Sweet-Vetch can be eaten raw (they have a bit of a sweet, liquorice like flavour), boiled, baked, or fried -- and then they taste like carrots. The Yellow variety is not nearly as tasty to us, so look for the Northern or Alpine subspecies (but no picking plants in the Parks). But make sure to differentiate them from the Milkvetches. Timber Milkvetch, for example, is poisonous.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
We are very proud of and super stoked for our friend and WildSmart’s very own, Andrew Cotterell, as he is raising money for the Crossing the Divide Experience by attempting to set the fastest known time on the Great Divide Trail (GDT). Andrew started his journey of 1,130 km in 21 days on July 12th carrying a full pack over some of the most rugged terrains in the Canadian Rockies. The photos below show all the gear he is carrying, including bear spray on his hip of course, and what three days worth of food looks like.
You can donate and help Andrew reach his goal of raising $10,000 to help get at-risk, disadvantaged youth and other groups outdoors to experience the wilderness by clicking the button below.
Please take a minute to read about Andrew’s quest in this recent article and to get updates on his progress you can check in at the Crossing the Divide Experience Facebook Page.
Latest Update: Andrew is on schedule to set a new fastest known time on the Great Divide Trail. He's currently enjoying (or not) the 20 km hike along the highway into the Jasper townsite, where he'll pick up some food and then head back into the woods to put in a few more km’s before sunset!
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