Did you know that WildSmart is a program of the Biosphere Institute, a local charity? Our work relies entirely on donations and sponsors. If you would like to support our community-based efforts to promote human-wildlife coexistence, please donate!
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 1-8, 2023)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Wildlife activity is currently widespread throughout the Bow and Kananaskis Valleys. Bears are being seen daily in some neighbourhoods feeding on dandelions, as well as in the ditches along trails, roads and highways, and places like the Canmore Nordic Centre and MD of Bighorn hamlets. Make lots of noise (yell, shout) to let wildlife know you are coming down the trail to avoid surprise encounters and give them time to move off of the trail. Always be prepared to encounter bears throughout the Bow and Kananaskis Valleys. If you know of or have heard of bear activity in a given area, please consider recreating elsewhere!
Several mothers with cubs continue to be seen regularly in the Bow Valley and K-Country, and very recently in the Three Sisteres area, so be extra vigilant and make sure to give these bear families lots of space!
Black bear with yearlings down in K-Country. Photo taken on May 30, 2023.
Elk continue calving in and around Canmore and are very protective of their young. During elk calving season a mother elk will aggressively protect her calf by kicking and charging at you if you get too close and if she feels threatened. People need to stay well away from ALL elk to prevent a physical confrontation with them.
If you see any elk, immediately leave the area and DO NOT TRY TO SNEAK PAST THEM. Give elk lots of space, at least 30m (3 school bus lengths), keep your pets on a leash and always carry bear spray and be prepared to use it. Try to avoid using trails along and through green spaces, and be extra vigilant!
During May and June there is an increased risk of encountering predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes who are looking for an easy elk calf meal. This poses more public safety risks. Do not touch or remove young calves if they are found in the woods! Newborns will spend much of their time alone in their early days and will appear lifeless in order to avoid detection by predators. Their mother is not far away…
Cow elk with her calf. Remember to stay away from all elk, at least 30m, which is 3 school bus lengths!
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
With this in mind, there continue to be multiple reports of aggressive mother elk charging at people throughout the Town of Canmore. These incidents are occurring on both sides of the valley along trails and near green spaces. As such, elk warning signs have been posted in areas such as South Canmore (the McNeill/Morris area between the Bow River and Three Sisters Pkwy) and in the green space along Benchlands Trail. Keep an eye out for warning sign like the one shown below, stay out of closed areas and it is best to avoid areas with elk warnings!
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
Roadsides are where the dandelions are, and where the bears are for the next while, increasing the risk of roadside collisions everywhere. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife roadside. Do not stop to view wildlife and always stay in your vehicle!
WildSmart was on QR Calgary 107FM/770AM with Shaye Ganam yesterday to talk about Bear 178 (the rare white female grizzly bear nicknamed ‘Nakoda’) and the dangers associated with feeding roadside for bears. You can listen to the interview by clicking the following audio link!
Black bear feeding roadside in K-Country. Photo taken on May 31, 2023.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Wildlife Ambassador Karen is back with an important message about wildlife corridors!
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…
Friday June 9 - Grotto Canyon and Pond
Saturday June 10 - Heart Creek
Sunday June 11 - Either at the Highwood Pass/Highway 40 Road Closure or in Canmore. They will also be at the Grizzly Paw Community BBQ (See Upcoming Events section below).
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
A cow elk defending her newborn calf charges hikers and cyclist in Banff.
Bear 178’s (the rare white female grizzly bear nicknamed ‘Nakoda’) fence-climbing acrobatics spur new measures from Parks Canada.
Watch this black bear get released from a truck in Colorado after looking for food.
A cougar chased a mountain biker on Mt. Hood, Oregon.
Mountain biker encounters a cougar on Whistler's Sea to Sky Trail in B.C.
A female grizzly bear was relocated from the Whistler, B.C. area.
A black bear has been seen roaming around the City of Dieppe near Moncton, New Brunswick.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
A thoughtful reflection on how we can approach recreation with a coexistence mindset.
“Sharing the Bow Valley” By Robin Contos
The Rocky Mountains are a hugely popular destination in Alberta. Residents and tourists alike converge in the Bow Valley to go hiking, skiing, mountain biking and to enjoy the scenery and terrain afforded by the mountains. This area, however, is not used by humans alone. The Bow Valley provides a wildlife corridor for elk, bears, wolves and other animals.
A wildlife corridor is a secure area of land which animals can use to travel from one habitat patch to another. In the absence of wildlife corridors, it is likely that animals would not be able to travel through the valley.
“Without these wildlife corridors it would be much more energetically costly to travel throughout the landscape, which would mean that they would need to get more food and eat more, and of course that cascades and has effects on survival,” said Peter Thompson, PhD, a researcher in the department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta.
To learn more about this issue, and what you can do to help strike a balance between human recreation and wildlife protection, join us at 7pm on June 12th for the following panel discussion.
June 12 - Earth Talks: Sharing the Bow Valley
Join Josh Welsh, Justin Deoliveira, and Dr. Peter Thompson at the Canmore Public Library for their presentation Sharing the Bow Valley: Balancing Human Use with the Needs of Wildlife.
You'll hear about the latest research and thinking on how both humans and wildlife can thrive in the Bow Valley, what personal actions and regional recommendations this research has generated for recreation and development in the Bow Valley, and a chance for you to ask your burning questions. This Earth Talks event, in partnership with the Town of Canmore Public Library, will take place on Monday June 12th, 2023 in the Friends Program Room at 7:00pm. Click here for more info!
Registration is required to attend in-person, or you can join online LIVE via Zoom by clicking here.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Congratulations to the Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative, on winning an Emerald Award in the Energy category at the 2023 Emerald Awards last night at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton!
The concept for Bow Valley Green Energy came about in early 2019 when the Biosphere Institutes' very own Shift Program Coordinator, Jodi Conuel, imagined a ‘network of solar panels across our valley,’ and sought financing to complete a feasibility study into the concept of community generation in the Bow Valley. During this feasibility study, the Biosphere searched for suitable locations for a community-owned solar project in Canmore and explored community-based mechanisms to finance renewable energy developments.
During this process, the Biosphere Institute joined with interested local community members to form a small steering committee, which subsequently became the founding board of directors of Bow Valley Green Energy. Since then, the Biosphere Institute has continued to work with and support this amazing team of volunteers. With over 3,000 dedicated hours of work, this organization has successfully transformed the way communities can opt into renewable energy solutions, secured and leveraged $171K of community investment, and installed 138kW of solar panels. These panels have since generated 75MW of renewable energy and offset over 50 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide; with each sunny day, these numbers keep on rising!
If you have been inspired by the work of the Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative find out more by clicking here!
(Pictured from L to R): Joey O’Brien - BVGEC Founding Board Member, Marisa Orfei - Emerald Foundation Executive Director and Jodi Conuel - Biosphere Institute’s representative on the BVGEC Board.
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 11 - Grizzly Paw Community BBQ
After a 3 year hiatus, the Grizzly Paw Brewing Company is finally reviving their annual Community BBQ! ☀️
They want to celebrate the partnerships they have with local organizations and businesses while thanking YOU for your continued support as they celebrate the 5th anniversary of Tank310.
This family friendly event will involve live music, free hot dogs, free soda, and free brewery tours as well as games and activities. Come on down to their Brewery Backyard this Sunday June 11th from 11am-3pm for the festivities!
June 17 - Calgary Search and Rescue’s 30th Anniversary & Outdoor Show
Our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors will be at this great event in Calgary with their hands-on interactive wildlife display! Come on by and learn how to use bear spray and chat with them about responsible trail use and how we can all work together to improve human-wildlife coexistence!
June 24 - Bear/Cougar Safety & Awareness Presentation
Mountain View BearSmart Society invites you to their Bear & Cougar Safety & Awareness Presentation on Saturday June 24, 2023 from 1-3pm at the Old School/Library in Water Valley.
This is a Free event but donations to the society will be gratefully accepted! Click here for more info!
August 9-15 - Outward Bound Backpacking Trip for Youth
Seeking youth ages 15-18! Is there a teen in your life who would benefit from a positive outdoor experience? The Future Leaders program of the Biosphere Institute is proud to partner with Outward Bound Canada to offer a 4-7 day backpacking trip August 9-15. Email Heidi at education@biosphereinstitute.org for more information.
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