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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 (Oct.20-27, 2022)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
It was a quiet week for bears in the Bow Valley and the colder weather and snow will likely speed up the process of bears heading into their dens. That being said, bears are still out and actively searching for those important final calories so people need to be thinking about bears and expecting encounters when out recreating. Bears are opportunistic feeders and will eat anything that is available to them, so please make sure your yard is free of all potential attractants that bears and other wildlife might try to eat! These attractants include fruit (both on trees and on the ground), PUMPKINS, pet food, bird feeders, garbage and greasy barbecues.
You can help keep bears and other wildlife out of trouble by keeping your pumpkins indoors! It is a very simple act that can keep yourself and your neighbourhood safe. If you don't want a bear in your yard, or to get relocated or destroyed, make sure you don't provide it with a meal!
Photo courtesy of Alberta Environment and Parks
Large herds of elk continue to be seen throughout town which means you have to be vigilant and you may have to choose an alternate route while out for a walk/run/ride. Give elk lots of space, at least 30m or 3 school bus lengths, and never try to sneak past them. Never get between a male elk and the female elk and keep pets on a leash. Male elk are particularly protective of any female elk they are with, and there continue to be reports of large rutting bull elk showing aggression towards people getting too close.
It is hunting season! Please be aware of your surroundings and stay clear of dead animals. Hunters should always carry and use bear spray as the first line of defense, even if they are carrying a gun.
Elk frequently hang out on or along the busy trails in Canmore. Give them plenty of space and don’t try to sneak past them! Photo by Judy Cairns.
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
This is a good time to remind people to carry bear spray year round while recreating and training at the Canmore Nordic Centre, throughout the Bow Valley, and K-Country. Every time you head out on the trails you need to be vigilant and mentally prepared for possible encounters with wildlife! It is also safer to hike, bike, run, or ski in a group. Make lots of noise when out on the trails, and avoid recreating at dusk, dawn or at night which is when cougars and other wildlife are most active. Be aware of your surroundings by periodically checking behind you to make sure there are no animals following you and by not wearing earbuds/headphones, which will limit your ability to hear approaching wildlife.
While at the 6th International Human-Bear Conflict Workshop in South Lake Tahoe last week, WildSmart was able to meet some of the lovely folks at BearWise from south of the border. Although they focus mostly on black bears, they have some excellent info about what bears do in October.
For more information on areas in the Bow Valley frequented by bears at this time of year visit our post-berry season human-bear conflict summary map.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Here is a short video of a bear trying to open a bear-proof garbage bin in Squamish, B.C.
Bear sightings force closure of Griffith Woods Park in southwest Calgary.
A Washington state woman fended off a black bear by punching it in the nose.
A Wyoming hunter shoots self while trying to fight off attacking grizzly bear.
Here are some reasons why you should not keep your pumpkins outside on your doorstep.
A new study shows a substantial drop in wolverine numbers in Western Canada.
A house cat survived almost two months in the Kananaskis Country wilderness.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Halloween is a only a few days away and there are many pumpkins outside on doorsteps. Please be proactive to help keep your children, and the children in your neighbourhood safe by placing pumpkins inside of windows and not on your doorstep. Pumpkins are a wildlife attractant to all sorts of animals, not just bears, and we all need to do our best to avoid attracting wildlife into residential areas. Pumpkins placed inside windows can still be enjoyed by trick-or-treaters, but you won’t end up with a nasty fright if a bear shows up on your doorstep. If you must put pumpkins outside on Halloween, make sure you take them inside before going to bed!
After Halloween, please dispose of your pumpkins properly and do not leave them outside inviting them to get smashed up by pranksters or eaten by wildlife. You don’t want to attract a visitor to your door the day after Halloween like in this video. In Canmore, pumpkins should be disposed of in the bear-proof Community Food Waste Containers. Remember to remove candles and other non organic decorations!
Pumpkins placed inside your windows can still be enjoyed by trick-or-treaters!
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
"BUSTING BEAR MYTHS" BY DEREK RYDER, WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR
Myth: Bears hibernate.
Fact: Maybe, but maybe not. The research is ongoing. Hibernation is defined as a state of greatly reduce metabolic activity and lowered body temperature. “Normal” hibernators have body temperatures approaching 0° C, and almost not detectible heart or brain activity. They can’t “wake up”. Bears aren’t like that. Their body temperature drops only 3°-5°. Moms give birth and nurse in February while they are “hibernating”.
The better current term for the state bears enter into is “torpor”. Torpor is more like just a deep sleep. The heart and respiration slow a bit, but the brain is up and active. Just like you and me, however, no matter how deep a sleep we’re in, things can wake us up. So it is with bears. A warm snap, people skiing by, or giving birth, and bears wake up, albeit groggily.
We start feeling tired before we go to bed. So do bears. Research from Norway shows that bears start to slow down their metabolism up to a month before they den. And, just like us, their metabolism starts to “wake up” almost a month before they officially “wake up” and emerge from their dens.
Still, biologists are now starting to consider what bears do a type of hibernation. The line is still a bit blurry, but it’s better for us to think of their state as the deep sleep of torpor than the near comatose-state of hibernation.
Modern day hibernation (or more accurately “Torpor”) for bears…
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
While at the 6th International Human-Bear Conflict Workshop in South Lake Tahoe last week, WildSmart was also able to learn about some of the amazing work that Polar Bears International does. Polar Bear Week is the first week of November and this year runs from Oct.30-Nov.5. Polar bears are already starting to gather on the shores of Hudson Bay to wait for freeze-up so they can return to hunting seals. During Polar Bear Week, the focus is on the importance of sea ice to polar bears—and why we must take action on climate change to ensure their survival. Sea ice loss from human-caused climate change is the single biggest threat to polar bears. As an exercise for today, you could try reimagining your community in a completely sustainable light. You can help promote clean transportation and projects that reduce the number of vehicles on our roads. You can also applaud and practice energy-efficient construction standards that set new efficiency guidelines for heating and cooling systems, insulation, and lighting.
This year, Polar Bears International is raising funds to research the development of “Detect and Protect” technology to alert communities of approaching bears, a growing problem as the bears spend more time onshore. The goal is to help polar bears and people coexist—keeping both from harm.
In honour of Polar Bear Week, here are some cool facts about polar bears to kick off your weekend!
Photo by Craig Taylor/Polar Bears International
UPCOMING EVENTS
Love the environment and live in the Bow Valley? This free Beers & Networking event is for you!
As part of the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership’s Bow Valley Community Week (which runs from Nov.7-13), the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley invites anyone who is interested in the environment or taking action on climate change to come along and connect with like-minded people. Join us on Nov.10th for a mixer evening of fun and socializing. Newcomers and long-time residents welcome! Beer and pizza will be available for purchase at this event.
Connect with like-minded people, meet some old friends, and make some new ones!
Learn about local environmental activities in the Bow Valley and how you can get involved.
Let's celebrate our efforts to protect and sustain our planet together!
Where? Canmore Brewing Company is located at 1460 Railway Ave, Canmore. Click here for a map.
You don’t need to register - just come by any time between 5PM-7:30PM. We look forward to seeing you there!
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