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The information below is 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 UPDATE (June 20-27, 2024)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Bears continue to be seen regularly throughout the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country along trails, roads, in and around town and in the valley bottoms where most of their available food is located. With the increase in visitation anticipated over the long weekend, people need to expect to run into a bear while out on the trails, even in areas that do not have a bear warning in place! This includes facility zones, campgrounds and residential areas. A bear warning remains in place at the Canmore Nordic Centre as a sow with cubs continues to frequent the area. A bear warning was just posted for the Bill Milne Paved Trail from the Kananaskis Golf Course to Kananaskis Village due to multiple bears in the area, as well as at Boulton Creek Campground due to black bear activity. A reminder that a warning gets put in place for an elevated risk of encounters, and closures are put in place to give bears space and protect the public - so please respect them!
Remember to make lots of noise, travel in a group (ideally 4 or more), keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray and be prepared to use it in case of a close encounter. Knowing what to do when you encounter a bear is key! Even if you are going for a leisurely walk around the neighbourhood you should be carrying bear spray. It is important to remember that bears can be encountered anywhere, anytime (not just in areas with an active warning or closure in place) so you should always be expecting to run into a bear whenever you head out on the trails in the Bow Valley and K-Country.
Grizzly bear mom with three cubs in K-Country on June 24, 2024.
Bears and other wildlife continue to be seen feeding on greeen grass and dandelions on and near roads. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down to a reasonable speed when passing wildlife so animals don’t get hit if they decide to go on the road, but don’t stop to take pictures. This causes habituation (the animals become used to and comfortable with people being so close) and people are stopping much too close and causing bear jams. Wildlife have been hit on the road when some people stop and others don’t. We all need to act consistently keeping in mind what is best for the wildlife, not us. Stop only to avoid a potential collison if wildlife is on the road, but don’t stop to take pictures.
Never get out of your vehicle to get closer to a bear that is roadside - it stresses out and disturbs the bear, and is potentially dangerous for you, the bear and other motorists. Never approach bears as they can be unpredictable, especially these days during mating season, with many unkown male bears hanging around. Give bears at least 100m of space at all times and do not linger near wildlife feeding roadside - keep moving along! Be extra vigilant at dawn, dusk and during night time hours to avoid collisions with wildlife.
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!
“No stopping zones” are put in place to protect bears! If you care about wildlife, please respect ALL “No Stopping Zones!” If bears are roadside in the absence of no stopping zones, please don’t stop. It is also very important to respect the staff who are working tirelessly to keep bears safe. Staff need space to be able to work safely and they are not able to do that if people are stopping and getting in their way. This has been a very real problem as staff continue to deal with motorists either driving too slow for long stretches, stopping wherever they want, pulling dangerous U-turns, stopping and getting out of their vehicles and running across the road without checking for traffic.
If people do the right thing (by not stopping and moving along), bears can be left to feed roadside. If people are selfish and don’t, staff are required to move the bears, which is not ideal as the bears rely on this important food source at this time of year. The safety and well-being of wildlife is far more important than you getting that perfect picture! The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists.
OBEY ALL NO STOPPING ZONES - they are there for a reason!
Most 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 to their calves! Be aware of your surroundings, even on popular and well-visited trails around town and along the river. Never approach elk for any reason. Stay at least 30 metres (3 school bus lengths) away from all elk. If you see any elk, immediately leave the area and DO NOT TRY TO SNEAK PAST THEM. Even bikers should not be trying to sneak past elk on the trails. Keep pets on a leash and it is a good idea to be carrying your bear spray whenever you leave the house to go out for a walk, run or ride around Canmore.
Cow elk with calf. Archived photo.
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
It is very important to properly manage wildlife attractants such as food and garbage while hiking, camping and at Day Use Areas. If you see garbage on the ground, pick it up and put it in a bear-proof bin. If the bin is full, take the garbage home with you, but never leave garbage on the ground. I know it sounds like common sense, but never feed any wildlife (yes, that includes squirrels and chipmunks) and never leave food unattended, even for a minute.
Keep a BEAR FREE Campsite! Even open and closed beverage containers are considered a wildlife attractant. Bears will bite and puncture beer and pop cans to drink the contents as they contain a lot of calories and sugar! Attractants must be stored inside a hard-sided vehicle/trailer, or locker at night and when you’re away during the day. Attractants include coolers, food, beverages, toiletries, pet food, garbage, recyclables and other scented items.
Officials will remove unattended attractants if they are not stored correctly, and an enforcement action may follow! All park visitors and campers need to be extra vigilant in securing their food and other items that attract wildlife, even when they 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. 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!
Alberta Parks signage on picnic tables in campgrounds and day use areas to remind visitors about proper storage of wildlife attractants.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
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 big enough that they almost always leave evidence that they’ve been present – 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. Every month we’re going to learn about some of the signs bears leave in the forest, and in this edition of Watching for Bear Signs by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, it is Broken Logs.
Research shows that two kinds of ants that are common here make up a good part of the early season diet of both Black and Grizzly bears. You might not think that a little ant would be of interest, and a single ant is no more interesting to a bear than to you or me. But a Red ant colony can contain hundreds of thousands of little ants, and their ground hills are obvious. Red ants also like living under dead and fallen trees. The Giant Carpenter ants that live in rotten wood in particular can have a LOT of calories in their colonies. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Broken Logs!
Click on this image of a broken log to read the full article!
WEEKLY WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WHEREABOUTS
In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads! You can find them talking to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Last weekend they had their annual training session. Note: the locations they are stationed at may change at the last minute.
June 29 - Troll Falls
July 1 - Centennial Park in Canmore for Canada Day from 8:30am-4:30pm.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
WildSmart was on Global TV to talk about giving bears space roadside and managing attractants at your campsite.
Advocates call for action after recent deaths of 4 grizzly bears in Yoho National Park.
Bear spray school kids' weapon of choice.
Man killed in suspected bear attack in Japan.
Bear euthanized after 'causing minor injuries' at Gatlinburg park concession stand.
Man who drunkenly shot young bear in Kamloops backyard ordered to pay $10,000 fine, banned from hunting.
Grolar bear hybrids in N.W.T. all traced back to same 'strange' female polar bear.
4 women recognized from freeing friend from cougar's jaws during mountain bike ride.
A Mountain Lion Was Shot in Alaska for the First Time in 35 Years.
“Holy Sh*t Balls” – Campers Come Face To Face With Mountain Lion.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Buffaloberries will start to ripen in the weeks to come. Please be proactive and remove berry bushes and fruit trees from your yard 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 are invited to express their interest in participating in the program which will cover 100% of the pre-tax cost of removal of the fruit tree(s) or bush(es) by an arborist or tree removal service up to $500/property. The program is first-come first-served while funds are available. Click here for more details.
If a garbage bin is full, take your garbage to another bin! DO NOT leave it on the ground where it is accessible for wildlife! A fed bear is a dead bear and one lazy act could cost a bear its life! If you notice any garbage left outside of bear proof bins, or garbage bins that are full around town, please report this to the Town of Canmore at 403-678-1580.
In Canmore, please report bins that are full to 403-678-1580.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
We are excited to welcome our new Wildlife Ambassadors to our program this year! The annual volunteer training happened last weekend and their friendly smiling faces, informative conversations and compelling stories to try and improve human-wildlife coexistence were inspiring! On behalf of the two and four-legged creatures who call this valley home, we thank you for your hard work and dedication to keep people and wildlife safe. This year the program is expanding to the West Bragg Creek area with the hopes of bringing consistent and reliable wildlife safety messaging to this heavily used recreation area.
In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads to talk to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Keep an eye out for the Wildlife Ambassadors next time you are out on the trails in the Bow Valley, K-Country and West Bragg Creek area, and be sure to say ‘hi’ and have a chat with them!
A photo from our Wildlife Ambassador training session last Saturday, June 22, 2024.
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley is hiring a part-time Financial Controller. This is a continuous intake process and we’ll hold interviews with suitable candidates during July 2024. Work and onboarding will commence during the summer months. The work schedule will be flexible and we anticipate that this work will occupy an average of ten hours per month.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Canmore Area Trails Strategy Engagement
Alberta Forestry and Parks has launched engagement towards the development of a Canmore Area Trails Strategy (CATS). The public, trail users, Indigenous communities and local interests are invited to provide input into the development of the strategy. The CATS is focused on trails on Crown land (parks and public lands) but will consider trail connections and connectivity with trails managed by other municipal partners and nearby jurisdictions.
Engagement on the CATS will occur in two phases. The first, active from June 24 until July 22, 2024, will include a survey on the draft terms of reference and interactive mapping activity to collect feedback that will be used to inform development of the draft strategy. A second engagement phase of engagement will occur later this year to hear feedback on the draft strategy. For more information about the project’s engagement, please click here to visit their webpage.
Your feedback is welcome! The engagement phase strives to develop an overarching plan that will guide future planning and design of trails in the Canmore area, while protecting valuable ecosystems.
The interactive mapping activity can be accessed by clicking here.
Both activities are open until 4:00 PM on July 22, 2024.
We support the visionary work of Alberta Forestry and Parks in its bid to create a Canmore Area Trails Strategy: the Bow Valley Wildlands are precious, and it is imperative that they be properly managed to protect the natural values, fauna, and flora of this wonderful valley we call home.
June - CANMORE BREW CO. CHARITY TAP!
Join us for the entire month of June at the Canmore Brew Co. for a beer in support of the Biosphere Institute! Half of all profits of the featured, award-winning charity tap (Highline Lager) will be donated to the Biosphere! We are so grateful for this partnership!
Clean Commute Challenge! Throughout the month of June! Every day in June that you walk, cycle, take public transit, or use any other form of low-carbon transportation, you can enter the draw for some amazing prizes. (Click to learn more)
July 1 - Canada Day in Canmore!
Wildlife Ambassadors will be at the WildSmart booth in Centennial Park in Canmore from 8:30am-4:30pm! Come on by the booth and say hi and have a chat with them about how you can help improve human-wildlife coexistence in the Bow Valley while eating FREE pancakes before you go watch the parade that starts at noon, or when you come to listen to the LIVE music from 2-4pm! Find out more about what is happening in Canmore on Canada Day 2024 by clicking here.
Our booth in Centennial Park at Canada Day 2023!
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 Dispatch at 403.591.7755