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BEAR ACTIVITY SUMMARY FOR THE BOW VALLEY
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park) For the period: April 9 to April 16, 2021
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.
SUMMARY
Bear activity in the Bow Valley is still quiet and it appears that all of the collared bears in Kananaskis Country remain in or at their dens. This does not mean you can be complacent as there may be non-collared bears out and about. There certainly are non-hibernating wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk out on trails and even in town!
Since we are all sharing the valley bottoms at this time of year, there is an increased chance of encountering wildlife, and you need to be properly prepared! Always remain vigilant and remember these tips for responsible trail use and to reduce the risk of close encounters with wildlife:
Make lots of noise to alert wildlife to your presence! (the human voice is the best tool).
Travel in a group (while maintaining social distance), keep children close by and avoid heading out at dusk, dawn or night when wildlife is most active.
GIVE WILDLIFE SPACE! Remember to stay a minimum of 2 metres from people, 30 metres (or 3 school bus lengths) from ungulates like deer, elk, moose and sheep and 100 metres (or 10 school bus lengths) from carnivores like bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes.
Never approach or feed any wildlife (including squirrels), and always pack out what you pack in. Indirectly feeding wildlife by being careless and leaving garbage out is just as bad as directly feeding wildlife. The end result is the same in both cases – the animal will likely have to be relocated or destroyed. Read more in this recent article about garbage being left behind at day use areas.
Be aware of your surroundings (look and listen for wildlife and their signs, including tracks and scat). That includes not wearing earbuds/headphones, which will limit your ability to hear approaching humans AND wildlife.
Keep dogs on a leash, or consider leaving your dog at home. Practice being able to pull out your bear spray while holding your dog on a leash in case of an encounter. Remember to pick up after your dogs as their feces can act as an attractant for bears.
Carry bear spray in an easily accessible location, know how to use it and be prepared to use it. Make sure it is not expired, and if you need to refresh your memory on the proper use of bear spray, we have an excellent video on our website. Bear spray should be carried while walking on well-travelled trails, including the trails in and around town; it is also effective against non-hibernating wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk.
Make sure your bear spray is not expired!
Stay out of closed areas!
If you have not already done so, take down your bird feeders and clean up the ground underneath. The Town of Canmore Wildlife Attractant Bylaw only allows bird feeders to be hung from December 1 to March 31. Click here for details.
CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Click here for the complete list of all Alberta Parks warnings and closures in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country.
Click here for the complete list of all warnings and closures in Banff National Park.
Here is a list of some Annual Closures in Kananaskis Country.
Click here for current information from Alberta Parks about visiting their parks during COVID-19. Click here for current information from Parks Canada about visiting their parks during COVID-19.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Many excellent resources have already been posted online during Virtual Bear Week to help educate and prepare visitors to bear country for a safe and enjoyable outdoor adventure. In case you missed any of them, you can check them out on the events page on our website, Facebook and Instagram.
One of the highlights of Bear Day (which had to be cancelled for the second year in a row due to COVID) is when people get to engage in-person with bear experts, enforcement officers, interpretation staff and volunteers to learn more about bears and how to stay safe in bear country! In honour of Bear Day we have a special treat for you…
Filmed in the beautiful Peter Lougheed Parks Discovery Centre, Alberta Parks Interpretation and Public Education Coordinator Julie Ryan uses exciting artifacts and images to teach viewers about the kinds of bears you will find in Kananaskis Country, how to tell the difference between them, some of a bear’s favorite foods and what to watch out for when you are recreating in Bear Country.
Many thanks to Julie Ryan and Tangle McClaron for putting this amazing video together!
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