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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: August 20 to August 27, 2021

Multiple bears continue to be seen actively searching for berries throughout the Bow Valley and K-Country. Due to the less than ideal buffaloberry crop this year, bears seem to be hanging out in the valley bottoms and have started to turn their attention to other types of berries and fruit such as Dogwood, Chokecherry, Mountain Ash and Crabapples in residential areas.

This time of year is very important for bears as they need to consume as many calories as possible in order to survive the upcoming winter hibernation, but those calories should not be coming from peoples’ yards as it poses a public safety risk and could cost a bear it’s life! Please make sure all fruit is removed from your trees!

Residents and visitors can reduce the risk of surprise encounters by making lots of noise to alert bears (who are very focused on eating) of their presence, travelling in groups, keeping pets on a leash (unless in a designated off-leash area) and avoiding areas where bears have been seen or where active warnings have been put in place!

Black bear feeding on dogwood in the Three Sisters Area. Photo taken on Aug.23, 2018 by Witek Strzelecki.

A female grizzly bear killed by a vehicle last week on the Icefields Parkway is the third female grizzly bear killed in Banff and Yoho this summer (two by vehicles & one by a train). Motorists are reminded to obey speed limits and watch for roadside wildlife. If you see one animal be prepared to see more, so slow down but do not stop and create (or be part of) a bear jam on the highway. Keep moving to give bears the space they need to feed and to help combat roadside habituation of wildlife.

VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES

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

Bears are not the only wildlife you can expect to see out on the trails as several elk have been seen in and around Canmore. The elk rutting season starts soon and male elk are particularly protective of any female elk they are with.

Give plenty of space to ALL elk (at least 30 metres or 3 bus lengths)
Never get between a male elk and the female elk
Be sure to keep pets on-leash
If an elk charges, position a large object (e.g. car, large tree) between you and the elk
Remember to carry bear spray in an easily accessible location, even along the well-travelled trails near town
Never approach elk to take pictures up close as they are wild animals that need their space and they can react unpredictably!

WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS

DNA analysis reveals three distinct genetic groups of grizzly bears which align with the boundaries between Indigenous language families in coastal B.C. This study was published in the Journal Ecology and Society.
Here is an article about a bear warning due to a grizzly bear bluff charging a cyclist.
WildSmart was on Global TV Calgary reminding residents to remove attractants from their yards and to make lots of noise out on the trails to avoid surprise encounters.
Residents urged to remove fruit from trees and shrubs to avoid attracting hungry bears into town.
A17-year old boy sitting in his backyard under a large tree looked up to see a cougar staring at him from the lowest branch just five feet away!
Watch a black bear follow its nose and try to get into a B.C. residence during lunchtime.

Food for Thought?

Leaving fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash, chokecherry and dogwood) in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk. The best practice is to remove fruit bearing trees and shrubs from your yard, however if you decide to keep your fruit bearing trees and shrubs, please ensure the fruit is removed.

We have extendable fruit pickers and we just added two new extendable pole saw pruners to our tool lending library that can be borrowed free of charge (donations are welcome) to allow Bow Valley residents to remove fruit and berries from their trees. We tested them out on Mountain Ash berries and they worked really well, extending to 12ft or 16ft, and have a saw blade and a pruner that is operated by pulling the cord. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit picking equipment.

In a continued effort to reduce conflict between bears and people in Canmore, the Town of Canmore has a wildlife attractant bylaw, and they are running a Voluntary Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program to help increase compliance. People can be fined for letting fruit and berries accumulate on trees and the ground in their yards. Click here to view and download the bylaw. Homeowners are invited to express their interest in participating in the program which will cover 50% of the cost of removal to a maximum of $300 if they use an arborist or tree removal service to remove their tree. More information and details about how to participate can be found on their website.

AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS

Here is a video of a quick thinking 15-year old boy in North Vancouver who uses his bike to make himself look bigger and scare away a black bear while he was out filming his jumps.

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

Bear Report - August 27, 2021