Our hearts are with those who have been affected by the recent wildfires.
We applaud the Banff Canmore Foundation, who has set up a fund to help the people of Jasper and those impacted by devastating wildfires. Funds support on the ground work by partners like the Jasper Community Team Society and all donations to this fund will be directed to support Jasper wildfire response and recovery. Donate Now by clicking here!
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 (August 1-8, 2024)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Bears continue to be seen regularly in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country as they are searching for food such as buffaloberries and other natural vegetation. Residents should be removing berry bushes and any fruit from the trees in their yards to help keep bears out of trouble!
Other bears have noticeably been moving up from the valley bottoms to higher elevations, so trail users need to be aware and expect encounters on trails. Trail users should be making lots of noise to alert any bears in the area of their presence, and do their best to avoid areas where bears have been seen or where active warnings have been put in place to reduce the risk of encounters. Bears have their heads down and are focused on eating berries, which increases the chance of surprise encounters. Always be prepared and on the lookout for bears feeding on buffaloberries while you recreate, as many berry bushes are found along popular trails.
Since the berry crop is poor, the bears likely will be more protective of their limited food sources. Don’t expect bears to move for you, make sure you have good situational awareness and give bears the space they need (at least 100m or 10 school bus lengths) to forage undisturbed in this crucial, short window of time.
Wildlife attractant storage (garbage, food and other scented items) is of utmost importance as bears continue to be seen in and around campgrounds and day use areas. Properly secure all wildlife attractants in your vehicle, hard-sided trailer or bear-proof lockers, never leave your food unattended even for a minute, and make sure bears do not get food rewards. If a bear approaches your picnic table with food on it, this would be an example of a good time to use your bear spray, and a good time to secure your food!
A grizzly bear enjoying berry season down in K-Country.
An important point about when it is appropriate to use bear spray. Bear spray is used to save your life and should not be used as a convenience tool to clear bears off the trail. We need to give bears a chance to do the right thing, and if we do the right thing (such as make noise, give them space, back away slowly, slow down), it may not be necessary to use your bear spray and everyone can go their separate ways. For example: It is not approriate to use your bear spray on a bear that is minding its own business, being a bear, and feeding along the trail. If a bear charges at you and is showing sign of aggression - absolutely use your bear spray.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
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 undisturbed and never get out of your vehicle! The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists.
Motorists need to slow down but keep moving when passing bears roadside.
Ever wonder what bears do in August? Learn all about it from our friends at BearWise south of the border. “August at a Glance: Bears have many ways to stay cool during hot summer days. By August, most cubs are weaned. Cubs can often survive on their own if they have to. Bears feast on ripening berries and may travel great distances to dependable food sources. Bears decipher complex messages left in the scents of other bears.” Click here to read the full article about What bears do in August.
Are you prepared for an emergency? Read the Town of Canmore’s Community Emergency Preparedness Guide to learn what you can do in advance of an emergency and what you can expect during an emergency. Wildfire risk reduction is only one element of our wildfire emergency preparedness. The Town of Canmore has comprehensive, flexible emergency response plans; expanded fire fighting capabilities; mutual aid agreements in place; regularly training and testing of plans through desktop exercises as well as field exercises; adopted VoyentAlert for emergency messaging to residents (which has been widely publicized repeatedly over the last year to get people to sign up); and concurrent to the VoyentAlert campaign they have been encouraging individual preparedness. The Town of Canmore’s emergency preparedness information, including the Guide, can be found at this link.
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 Tracks.
One of the most obvious signs that bears are around is the footprints they leave. Tracks are only left on soft or wet ground. If you remember the last couple of days of the weather, it can help you understand when Ms. Bear might have passed. If you know it hasn’t rained or been wet where you are for several days, then that track in what is now dried up mud is now old. Rain and water wash away tracks, so if the ground is still wet or it’s raining, and you find an obvious track, it’s very fresh. In the fall, knowing when it snowed last can be a big giveaway as to when tracks were made. Tracks in snow exposed to sun will melt out over several days, going from quite distinct to less well defined. Tracks melting out will also get bigger. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Tracks!
Click on this image of bear tracks 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 were at Upper Kananaskis Lake and at the Canmore Folk Fest. Note: the locations they are stationed at may change at the last minute.
August 10 - Upper Kananaskis Lake in PLPP & Fullerton Loop in the Elbow Valley
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
'Spotty' berry crop may lead to more bear encounters in the Bow Valley and K-Country.
WildSmart was on Global Calgary with some important reminders for trail users.
Motorcyclist killed in crash with bear in Kootenay National Park.
Hiker recounts being attacked by bear in Big Cottonwood Canyon in Utah.
Shamattawa on high alert after series of bear attacks, says man who was mauled in Manitoba.
Sun bear: The little carnivores that look so similar to humans they've been mistaken for people wearing costumes.
A sneaky bear steals a bird feeder full of sunflower seeds in Maine.
Montana men charged with illegally killing brown bear in Alaska.
Family of bears spotted at New Brunswick nature centre.
Black bear caught on camera opening garage door in Whittier, Alaska.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Since the berry crop this year is poor, it is likely that bears will be coming into town this fall looking for easy meals in fruit trees. Fruit trees are the main attractants that will draw bears into residential areas and NOW is the time to remove the fruit before a bear points out the problem. Leaving fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash, chokecherry and dogwood) in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk. The best practice is to remove fruit bearing trees and shrubs from your yard, however if you decide to keep your fruit bearing trees and shrubs, please ensure the fruit is removed BEFORE it is ripe!
Residents can be fined for letting fruit and berries accumulate on trees and on the ground in their yards as per the Community Standards Bylaw. If you prefer to remove your fruit tree (recommended), the Town of Canmore is running their voluntary fruit tree removal incentive program again. Click here for more information and details about how to participate.
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.
Mountain Ash in Canmore that is ready to be removed! Photo taken on Aug.7, 2024.
Photo of a Crabapple in Canmore on Aug.7, 2024. This fruit should be removed now before it attracts a bear into town!
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Our Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors have been working hard going door-to-door in Canmore (for the past few weeks they have been in the Grotto and Riverstone neighbourhoods near Cougar Creek) educating residents about the importance of removing wildlife attractants such as fruit trees (or at a minimum removing the fruit before it is ripe) and the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program. Have a chat with them about how keeping your yard free of wildlife attractants can help keep people safe and reduce the number of bears that get relocated and killed for feeding in residential fruit trees.
From L to R: Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors Graham, Anna and Susan.
We would like to highlight residents who are making decisions with what is best for wildlife in mind with the hopes of inspiring others to do the same, which is what human-wildlife coexistence is all about! This week we are featuring Donna Jo Massie, who recently removed her Mountain Ash tree (see before, during and after removal photos below). Here is Donna Jo’s story:
BEFORE: “After some thought and consideration, I have decided that I’m going to have to part ways with my Mountain Ash tree that has been in the yard for 34 years. It’s going to be too big a job to get all of the berries off and I don’t want to have to worry about having a bear get up in the branches. With the dry conditions, there could be more bears in town this fall looking for food, and I would like to be part of the solution… Although, I will miss my tree!”
AFTER: “I had my Mountain Ash tree removed and sent my invoice to the Town. I don’t want a dead bear on my conscience and I did think about the fact that there will be a poor berry crop this year and I think we’re going to have bears in town. Anyway, I hope it will inspire some other people to take down their mountain ash trees. I’m doing a little research, and looking at the WildSmart website, for tree replacement options. I think my hedges will grow in and get a little taller and I’m looking at non-fruit bearing trees that grow quickly. All of a sudden, I have more light in my living room and I can actually see the mountain now.”
Way to go Donna Jo!
Mountain Ash tree before
During tree removal…
After tree removal!
CURRENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES
We are seeking to contract a full-time Environmental Educator & Program Coordinator. This full-time maternity leave contract position will deliver, coordinate and manage funding for all Future Leaders programs. The Future Leaders program seeks to educate and improve the ecological literacy of children and youth in the Bow Valley, and is one of three key programs of the Biosphere Institute.
Click here for the full job description and application details. Applications are due by 5pm MST on August 20th. To apply, please send an email including your resumé & cover letter with the subject title “Future Leaders, Maternity Leave Contract” to education@biosphereinstitute.org.
Click on the image for the full job description and application details!
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 13 - Canmore Trails Consultation Newcomer Feedback session
If you were born outside of Canada and now live in the Bow Valley, this event is for you to have your say! Would you like to provide feedback on the Canmore Area Trails Strategy? We are thrilled to be partnering with Bow Valley Immigration Partnership and Canmore Area Trails Strategy to host this Free session next Tuesday, August 13 from 5:30-7:30pm. Meals, transportation, childcare and honoraria provided. Registration is required by 3pm today by clicking here!
August 17 & 18 - MÉTIS PLANT IDENTIFICATION WALKS IN BANFF NATIONAL PARK
Enjoy a leisurely walk to identify local plants from an Indigenous perspective. Learn how plants of the Rocky Mountains are used for food & medicine by Alberta's Métis communities, with stories from a Métis herbalist. The gentle pace of this tour is suitable for most participants & their families. Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes. FREE with national park entry! Summer interpretive programming info at the Banff National Park learning experiences page.
Sat. Aug.17 - Raven’s Nest Theatre, Tunnel Mountain Campground Village I (Time: 4-5pm)
Sun. Aug.18 - Welcome Building at the Cave & Basin National Historic Site (Time: 1-2pm)
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