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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 UPDATE (June 29-July6, 2023)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
There continue to be steady sightings of bears throughout the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country, especially along trails, roads, in and around town and in the valley bottoms where most of their available food is located. On that note, Buffaloberries (Shepherdia) are starting to ripen up and are looking very good in some areas so it is safe to say that we are in berry season! It is important to note that buffaloberries are often found in sunny areas along trails, roads and recreation areas, so trail users should always expect to encounter a bear while out on the trails or at day use areas. Bears will have their heads down focused on eating berries and not paying attention, so it is up to all of us to make lots of noise to alert them of our presence to help avoid those surprise encounters.
Shepherdia canadensis, more commonly known as Buffaloberry. Photo taken July 6, 2023 near Riverside Park in Canmore!
A bear warning was recently posted for the Chester Lake Trail and surrounding area due to a close encounter (potential bluff charge) between a grizzly bear and hiker(s), as well as a bear closure around Ribbon Lake and a bear warning in the Ribbon Lake Backcountry Campground and surrounding area, both due due to a close encounter between a grizzly bear and a hiker with the bear feeding on a carcass.
People need to mentally prepare themselves for encounters and 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.
Grizzly bear cubs sniffing out food (likely berries) in K-Country earlier this week.
Elk calving season is winding down but that does not mean people should become complacent as mother elk will still aggressively defend their calves if they feel threatened by people getting too close to their young! 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 and do not try to sneak past them on a trail! 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.
Stay at least 30 metres (3 school bus lengths) away from all elk and never try to sneak past them!
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
Bears and other wildlife continue to be seen on and near roads. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife but don’t stop and always stay in your vehicle! 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.
To help give these bears the space they need to feed undisturbed, “No Stopping Zones” have been put in place along Highway 40 in K-Country. The safety and well-being of wildlife is far more important than you getting that perfect picture. Never feed wildlife or encourage wildlife to come closer to you or your vehicle. OBEY ALL NO STOPPING ZONES - they are there for a reason!
OBEY ALL NO STOPPING ZONES - they are there for a reason!
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 Kananaskis Country!
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!
If you have not already done so, please complete this 15-minute online survey or scan the QR code above. Thank you for doing your part to help improve human-wildlife coexistence!
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Wildlife Ambassador Derek talks about Shepherdia, the plant bears dream about all year long!
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 to talk to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: the locations they go to may change at the last minute. Here is where they will be next…
Saturday July 8
Legacy Trail (trailhead) in Canmore
Burstall Pass and Chester Lake
Ribbon Creek
Keep an eye out for the Wildlife Ambassadors next time you are out on the trails in the Bow Valley and K-Country and be sure to say hi and have a chat with them!
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Alberta hiker fined $7,500 for shooting a black bear in Jasper National Park.
Mama grizzly abandons cubs; youngsters fending for themselves against hordes of tourists in K-Country.
The Town of Banff is looking to strengthen rules on wildlife attractants such as fruit trees.
Two grizzly bear encounters in Kananaskis Country have forced the closure of Rawson Lake Trail and Sarrail Ridge Route as a precautionary measure until further notice.
A Maine woman punches a bear in the nose that chased her dog.
This short video captures a grizzly bear chewing a dog bone in a Kitimat B.C. backyard.
A bear made its way into a company box truck to eat an employee's lunch in New Hampshire.
This footage shows a cougar mother and her playful young cub in California.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Berry season is here and there have already been numerous sightings of bears feasting on delicious ripe buffaloberries! They take this job very seriously, eating up to 200,000 berries per day and focusing on it for over 20 hours per day! As such, bears will have their heads down feeding on berries and they can be very defensive of their berry bushes, especially if surprised. We need to make extra noise and be vigilant (that means NOT wearing headphones/earbuds) when travelling through bear country.
Shepherdia canadensis, more commonly known as Buffaloberry. Photo taken July 6, 2023 near Riverside Park in Canmore! Red berries are most common but they can also be orange or yellow.
Bear scat can be an indication of bear activity in the area. During berry season bear scat looks a lot like strawberry jam! Keep an eye out for it on the trails and do not linger in areas with fresh scat. If you do stumble upon some fresh scat out on the trails, remember to be extra vigilant, make extra noise to alert potential bears of your presence, and consider turning around if you are not prepared to handle a possible encounter with a bear. Always have your bear spray readily accessible!
During berry season bear scat looks a lot like strawberry jam!
A positive proactive step that you can take is to remove unripe fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash and chokecherry) from your trees NOW 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. For example, cherries are still a few weeks away but can be removed before they ripen. 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.
An example of some unripe cherries that are ready to be removed!
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.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
For the past few years, WildSmart and our Wildlife Ambassdors have been providing wildlife safety talks before the ‘Try-Skiing’, ‘Try-Biking’, ‘Try-Disc Golf’ and ‘Try-Hiking’ Inclusion Program sessions at the Canmore Nordic Centre (CNC) to help make Newcomers feel more comfortable, safe and informed when recreating in the Bow Valley. These great events are hosted by Settlement Settlement Services & Community Connections in the Bow Valley.
At the most recent ‘Try-Biking’ session at the CNC, participants learned valuable wildlife safety information from Ambassadors Derek and Karen, and then actually came across a black bear on the trail while they were biking! The group knew exactly what to do and was able to practice the skills they had just learned such as remaining calm, getting off their bikes, keeping their distance and enjoying this memorable experience in a very pawsitive way! Great work team!
A great photo of the ‘Try-Biking’ group and their black bear encounter at the CNC.
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Are you passionate about waste reduction, music and community? Sign-up for the Canmore Folk Music Festival's Green Team. Last year, we diverted 1260 kg of material (86%) from the landfill! Join a team of volunteers as we work towards a zero-waste event.
Bonus perks! If you volunteer for 10 hours, you will receive a weekend pass for the festival, a volunteer T-shirt, access to backstage snacks and beverages and a private wee-hour party following the main stage concerts on Sunday and Monday night! Sign up here and indicate that you would like to help with the "Environment Team".
UPCOMING EVENTS
July 15 - Parks Day at Elkwood Amphitheatre area in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park
WildSmart and our Wildlife Ambassadors will be at this annual event. Celebrate Parks Day with us at the Elkwood Amphitheatre area to participate in fun activities starting at 10am. The Alberta Parks Interpretive Team will providing natural history point duties, a self guided race, art program, a theatrical performance and back by popular demand this year: cake!
We hope you will join us for this interactive, family friendly celebration of Parks!
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