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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: September 10 to September 17, 2021
There continue to be daily reports and sightings of bears in fruit trees and passing through yards in residential areas throughout the Bow Valley. Bears that gain access to these food sources can lose their natural fear of people, which increases the possibility of human-wildlife conflict. These bears can cause injury to people and pets, or destroy property, resulting in bears being relocated or destroyed. Relocated bears generally have a fairly low chance of survival, but moving a bear in the fall is especially difficult as they need to eat as much as possible before their winter hibernation. You can help keep bears safe and wild by removing fruit and other attractants (such as bird feeders, garbage, pet food and greasy BBQ’s) from your yard.
This warning sign is up on the way to Peaks/Quarry Lake/Rundleview areas to remind residents and visitors that bears are active in the area.
Black bear passing through a backyard near Rundleview on Sep.15, 2021. Photo by Ron.
With elk rutting season in full swing, you may hear some loud bugling! Male elk are particularly protective of the female elk they are with and may become aggressive towards anything that comes too close. 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 and keep pets on a leash. If an elk charges (usually because you are much too close), be prepared to use your bear spray. Try to move behind a large object (e.g. car, large tree) and keep the object between you and the elk. Never approach elk to take pictures up close as they are wild animals that need their space and can react unpredictably!
Photo by Amar Athwal.
Elk frequently hang out along trails and in wide open fields such as school yards and playing fields around town, which means you may have to choose an alternate route while out for a walk/run/ride. Parents should have a conversation with their children about giving wildlife lots of space, not trying to sneak past wildlife on the trail and calmly leaving the area if they see elk or other wildlife on their commute to school.
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
Watching for Bear Signs – Digs by Derek Ryder, Wildlife Ambassador and IGA Interpretive Guide
Bears are big enough that they almost always leave evidence of where they’ve been – if you know what to look for. Keeping your eyes peeled for this evidence can help you be aware if bears are present, and will decrease the risk that you’ll accidentally run into a bear. In this series of articles, I’m going to help you learn about some of the signs bears leave in the forest.
It’s larch season, and that means throngs of people are going to head up to the high alpine. That’s exactly where grizzlies are at this time of year, too. There are a couple of things that grizzlies chow down on up in the alpine before they go to bed, and almost all of them are dug up. Accordingly, something to keep your eye out for on your larch explorations are Grizzly Bear digs.
Many of the plants bears eat grow in patches. If bears are digging for roots or bulbs, such as those of the Glacier Lily, you’re going to find a large area that looks like it’s been attacked by a rototiller. When I say “large”, it could be as much as 15 m by 15 m, so it’s really hard to miss. The first photo was taken in the Highwood Pass area. Note that, whatever was being dug up, it is above treeline and right near the start of scree. This kind of mess is very common in these locations.
Sometimes, the roots they’re looking for are in more modest sized patches, like the second photo. Some people look at damage like this and think it’s done by Ground Squirrels. Except no Ground Squirrel in these parts creates large expanses of dirt; at best, they make little dirt mounds. Note that the mess in this photo is literally right next to the trail.
Speaking of Ground Squirrels, Grizzlies love to dig them up, too. These digs are distinctive. First off, there are always other untouched Ground Squirrel den holes nearby. Ground Squirrels almost always dig “fake” entrances to throw predators off, and give themselves a chance to escape, plus they live in colonies. Next, Ground Squirrel digs are either like a trench in a straight line, or they dig straight into what was obviously a den entrance that’s now a LOT bigger. The next photo looks like it could have been a Columbian Ground Squirrel Den, except it’s 10 times too large, as the rake shows for scale. Now, at first glance, this looks like it could be a coyote den. Except it’s in a high alpine meadow surrounded by 100 Ground Squirrel holes, and the Coyotes would have eaten every Ground Squirrel near their den, so no holes would be present.
The biggest giveaway that the dig you’re looking at was done by a Grizzly is its sheer size and magnitude of the excavation. Alpine meadows invariably have thin soils and lots of rocks underneath. The only animal strong enough to move these rocks is a Grizzly. Take a peek at the rocks in this next dig. Who knows what they were after, but the raw power to dig a hole like that screams “Grizzly”.
If you find a dig, you can often age it fairly well. Signs that it’s recent include exposed damp soil, grass underneath that is still alive and green, and visible dirt on top of plants within 5’-10’. If the soil is dry and grasses dead, it’s older.
Keep your eyes wide open for Grizzlies in the high alpine when you go to see the larches. If you don’t find a new or old grizzly dig, I would be surprised.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
A cougar was euthanized after killing 2 pets on Vancouver Island.
Mountain goat kills an attacking grizzly bear!
WildSmart chatted with Global Calgary yesterday about elk calving season and removing attractants from yards.
An average of 2.4 black bears killed daily by B.C. conservation officers in August.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Bears continue to be seen regularly in fruit trees in residential areas on both sides of the valley. This brings wildlife and humans close together and creates a concern for public and wildlife safety. Bears that get into fruit trees can cause extensive damage to the trees (as shown below) with the end result of the tree dying and often having to be replaced anyways. Being proactive and removing the fruit before a bear gets to it could save your tree from getting destroyed by the bear and could prevent a bear from getting relocated or destroyed. For more info check out the Alberta BearSmart Fruit Trees and Bears fact sheet.
If you can’t reach that fruit up in the tree, no problem! We have extendable fruit pickers and extendable pole saw pruners that can be borrowed free of charge (donations are welcome). Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit picking equipment.
If you are not sure what to do with the crabapples, you can use them to make delicious jams, jellies and baked goods and liqueurs.
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. You can learn more about both of these initiatives on their website here.
Before…
After…
This is what can happen if you don’t remove the fruit!
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Biosphere Institute is seeking an Executive Director and new Board members. Click on the appropriate button below for more info.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Give the Quarry area some love before any trash left behind is covered in snow. Join WildSmart staff, Wildlife Ambassadors, Bow Valley SPCA and your local Canmore Bylaw Services Officers for competitions, prizes and conversations in a fun, community environment. Sunday, Sept. 26 2021, 1:00 – 4:00pm at Quarry Lake.
Learn about how to keep people and wildlife safe through simple actions such as keeping dogs on-leash, staying on designated trails, carrying bear spray and managing attractants in your backyard.
Dog walkers can come and test their quick draw skills at our dog on-leash timed bear spray challenge (with inert bear spray).
Lend a hand and park for free (if you don’t have a free resident’s pass).
Register at the welcome tent for a temporary parking pass.
Great prizes are up for grabs for participants.
Clean-up volunteers will also be entered into a draw for a $100 gift certificate to a local business of their choice.
All materials provided on-site. Check-in at the pathway nearest to the parking lot.
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