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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 (June 16-24, 2022)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
There is still a snow pack at higher elevations (especially in K-Country) which is why bears are more concentrated in the valleys - where most of their available food is located. People are primarily using the valley bottoms (where the bears are), resulting in a large number of sightings of both grizzly and black bears on both sides of the Bow Valley, including in residential areas, as well as down in K-Country. Take home lesson: Expect to run into a bear while out on the trails! Remember to make lots of noise, travel in groups (ideally four or more), keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray and be prepared to use it in case of a close encounter. Even if you are going for a leisurely walk around the neighbourhood you should be carrying bear spray!
More grizzly bears have been killed on the Trans Canada Highway recently and with the green grass and dandelions still attracting bears and other wildlife roadside looking for food, we must all remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife but don’t stop and always stay in our vehicles!
The Elk Calving Warning remains in effect for Canmore. Some elk calves are already mobile and moving around with less defensive mothers, however there continue to be other cow elk showing aggression towards people who are getting too close! There have also been some deer fawns spotted around Canmore and mother deer will also aggressively defend their fawns, just like elk, so give them lots of space and don’t try to sneak past them.
Grizzly mom with two cubs down in K-Country. Photo taken on June 9, 2022.
Updated Bear Closure: Select trails in the Canmore Nordic Center Provincial Park. There is no access from Banff to the Canmore Nordic Center via the Rundle Riverside trail. Why:? A grizzly bear bluff charged multiple park users, and multiple sightings of black bears and grizzly bears.
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
Remember to give wildlife the space they need, which is at least 100 metres for carnivores such as bears! That includes bears feeding roadside, elk feeding along trails, squirrels looking for food and bighorn sheep standing in the middle of the road. The safety and well-being of wildlife is far more important than you getting that perfect picture. Be sure to slow down appropriately while passing wildlife roadside but do not stop. Stay in your vehicle and keep moving to avoid putting any unwanted stress on the animals. Never feed wildlife or encourage wildlife to come closer to you or your vehicle. That includes smaller animals such as squirrels when you are out having your picnic.
Be alert and give wildlife space! Here is a picture of a bear from 100 metres away, the MINIMUM distance that we need to keep between humans and bears!
Most mother elk have now had their calves and the youngsters are up and running around. Female elk will still aggressively defend their calves by kicking and charging at you if they feel threatened. The presence of calves also attracts predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes so be aware of your surroundings, even on popular and well visited trails around town and along the river. The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away - which is three school bus lengths - never try to sneak past them! Stay on open trails instead of walking through dense vegetation, keep pets on a leash and always carry bear spray and be prepared to use it when recreating anywhere in the valley.
Some elk calves up and running around in Canmore.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
WildSmart was on Global TV this week to talk about bears in Canmore.
Local article about the many grizzly bears being seen in Canmore with some great reminders about how residents and visitors need to be more flexible about where they recreate and commute in order to give bears the space they need to feed undisturbed.
Parks Canada and RCMP are beefing up enforcement after another grizzly bear was killed on the TCH in Yoho National Park.
A grizzly bear mother was killed by a transport truck in Jasper National Park.
There is a coyote warning in place for the Banff Townsite due to a defensive coyote.
A Y2Y study shows growing development and recreation will likely continue to change grizzly bear movement patterns and increase the risk of conflict between people and grizzly bears in the future.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Watching for Bear Signs – Broken Logs by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador and IGA Interpretive Guide
Kananaskis Country is home to a lot of animals, including bears. Recreating safely in bear country means more than just knowing what to do in a bear encounter. It’s also understanding signs that bears are around, so that maybe those encounters can be prevented.
Bears are great at sniffing out Giant Carpenter ant colonies in rotting wood, and Red ant colonies under wood. With their claws, they’re really good at breaking that wood up, too. Other than woodpeckers, no other animal destroys trees and logs like a bear. Accordingly, any log that’s been obviously torn apart is a sign that a bear has been in the area at some point. You should look out for these logs and damaged trees. They are evidence that bears are going after those ants. Click here or on the image below to read Derek’s full article about Broken Logs!
Click on this image of a broken log to read the full article!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Be proactive and remove berry bushes and fruit trees from your yards NOW before you attract a bear into town. Your tree blossoms will blossom into bear problems later! 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.
In an effort to reduce conflict between bears and people in Canmore, the Town of Canmore is running their voluntary fruit tree removal incentive program again. Homeowners in eligible areas 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 you use an arborist or tree removal service to remove your tree.
A reminder to hikers, campers and all people recreating to properly secure garbage and attractants! Wildlife that gain access to these unnatural food sources can lose their natural fear of people, which increases the probability of human-wildlife conflict. These animals can cause injury to people and pets and destroy property, resulting in wildlife being relocated or destroyed. Here is an article from 2019 at this time of year when a black bear gained access to unsecured food!
Black bear seen in Harvie Heights on June 16, 2022.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
We have mentioned giving wildlife space several times in this bear report, as well as in every bear report this season. This fun and catchy song from Parks Canada helps emphasize this point…GIVE THEM ROOM!
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The Biosphere Institute is seeking a Volunteer Social Media Content Coordinator. This posting will remain open until this volunteer role is filled.
EVENTS
Grizzly bears have long roamed the Bow Valley in Alberta. How did grizzly bears navigate the landscape before Canmore and Banff expanded? What are they doing to make their way around human activity now? What could this possibly look like in decades from now if growth in this region continues?
On July 7, Y2Y invites you to an online presentation from 12-1pm of their new report on Cumulative Effects modeling done in the Bow Valley, in collaboration with ALCES Land-Use, which helps answer these questions and more! Register here for free to save your spot!
The Eco Solar Home Tour on Sat. June 25, 2022 is an annual tour showcasing energy efficient homes. 2022 is Canmore’s inaugural year! The tour will give you an opportunity to talk with homeowners and hear about their experiences with the latest energy-efficient technologies. Click on the image below for more details!
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