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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 (Jul.29-Aug.5, 2022)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Both types of bears, including family groups of bears, continue to be been seen throughout the Bow Valley and K-Country feeding on ripe buffaloberries and other natural vegetation along trails and near campgrounds. This has also resulted in more warnings and closures being put in place. It is also a good idea to find out where the bear warnings are and plan to avoid these areas to reduce your risks of encounters.
Even though the berry crop is poor, bears will be seeking out berries and will have their heads down focused on eating berries and not paying attention. It is up to us to make lots of noise to help avoid any surprise encounters. Be prepared and on the lookout for bears feeding on buffaloberries while you recreate, as many berry bushes are found along popular trails. All trail users should have a heightened awareness, keep dogs on a leash and make lots of noise to alert bears of their presence. More useful tips during berry season can be found in this article from two years ago.
The Canmore Nordic Centre (CNC) is still seeing significant bear activity and bikers need to be making lots of noise (yelling and shouting) on the trails and expecting to encounter bears on the trails!
Wildlife attractant storage (garbage, food and other scented items) is of utmost importance as bears continue to be seen in and around facility areas. 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!
A grizzly bear enjoying berry season down in K-Country. Photo taken this week.
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
During this busy summer season, there have been many bear and wildlife jams, which puts unnecessary stress on the animals and causes public safety concerns. Motorists should obey posted speed limits and slow down near roadside wildlife - but don’t stop and cause (or be part of) a bear jam on the highway. Keep moving in order to give bears the space they need to feed and never get out of your vehicle!
Trail users need to mentally prepare themselves to handle bear encounters (think about what you will do before you head out on the trail) and expect to run into a bear while out on the trails! Watch this short video about how to handle (and avoid) bear encounters to help you with this mental preparation. Remember to carry bear spray to use in case of accidental close encounters. Know where your bear spray is on your person (in an easily accessible location) and be comfortable getting it out!
This human-bear conflict summary map for berry season gives you a good sense of the areas frequented by bears at this time of year in the Bow Valley.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
WildSmart was on Global TV yesterday to talk about staying safe while enjoying the outdoors.
A cougar attacked a young boy near Rocky Mountain House last weekend.
Read about how Romania’s brown bears and the local population share an uneasy coexistence.
This article from B.C. talks about how our love for bears on social media could be causing them harm.
Bear and leopard attacks and human-wildlife conlicts are on the rise in Kashmir.
Watch this video of a bear breaking into a home in Connecticut home.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
As mentioned earlier, the berry crop this year is not looking great, which combined with the fact that other natural foods have been limited this year, means that bears will be looking for any rich food sources. As such, we all need to be extra diligent in securing and removing attractants in our yards in Canmore. NOW is the time to remove fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash and chokecherry) from your trees before you have a bear in your tree. Leaving fruit in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk.
WildSmart has pruning shears and extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist Bow Valley residents in removing fruit and berry bushes from their property. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit removal equipment.
Our extendable pole saw pruner in action removing mountain ash.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
What are the Bears eating today? by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide
Welcome to berry season! When it comes to berries, of course we endlessly talk of shepherdia, and that’s an absolutely prime source of berries for bears. There are places in K-Country where there are a LOT fewer shepherdia bushes, or where the berry crop just isn’t as good. If you’re a bear living in that space, what berries do you eat? Well, one berry you DON’T eat are strawberries. Why? We know strawberries are delicious and sweet. Why do bears NOT eat strawberries?
The simple answer is “density”. Anyone who has walked through an alpine meadow can find lots of strawberry plants, but there just aren’t a lot of berries. Bears are eating 200,000 shepherdia berries a day to get the calories they need at this time of year. Anyone who has gone wild strawberry hunting knows Mr. Bear would basically have to lick square miles of ground to find that many strawberries – and he still probably wouldn’t get that many. So while strawberries are tasty, bears just don’t bother, since they’re too much work for too little reward. Click here or on the image below to read Derek’s full article about Berries!
Click on this image of raspberries to read the full article!
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteers needed to help promote reusable takeout containers at the Banff Farmer’s Market. Click on image to sign up!
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
We are excited to introduce you to an amazing young photographer Alex Webb, a 3rd year Renewable Resources, Environment and Sustainability student at the University of Alberta, as well as a photographer based out of Canmore. One of Alex’s main goals with his venture into photography is to use the platform as a means of supporting environmental sustainability efforts. Alex recently released his first set of prints and is donating all the profits to the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley! You can see his amazing work on Instagram at @alexwebbphoto and many thanks to Alex for his support!
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