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BEAR ACTIVITY SUMMARY FOR THE BOW VALLEY
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park) For the period: October 16 to October 23, 2020
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.
SUMMARY
The bears are certainly still out and about and bear activity within the Town of Canmore, the MD of Bighorn hamlets and even Calgary is still evident. Bears continue to actively search for food to pack on those extra few pounds before heading into their dens for the winter. As a result, they are being drawn into residential areas by people allowing fruit (on trees and on the ground) and other attractants such as birdfeeders, pumpkins, unsecured garbage, greasy bbq's and pet food, to accumulate in their yards!
A black bear that was recently hanging around a SW Calgary neighbourhood has been tranquilized and relocated west of the city in the mountains. This bear was feeding on birdseed and pumpkins left outside on peoples’ porches, which puts the bear and people at risk. Relocated bears generally have a low chance of survival, but moving a bear in the fall is especially difficult for the bear. Being proactive and removing attractants from your yard could save a bear’s life!
Halloween is a week away and pumpkins are starting to make an appearance 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 act as a wildlife attractant to all sorts of animals, not just bears. Here is proof that bears can steal a pumpkin from your porch and you might think that your pumpkin is safe on a balcony, far off the ground, but bears are very good climbers. Check out this video of an ingenious bear climbing up onto a balcony.
In a continued effort to reduce conflict between bears and people in Canmore, the Town of Canmore has a wildlife attractant bylaw, and they are running a Voluntary Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program to help increase compliance. People can be fined for letting fruit and berries accumulate on trees and on the ground in their yards. Click here to view and download the bylaw, and more details about the Voluntary Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program can be found here.
Elk continue to be seen all throughout town, and there was an aggressive male elk that forced school kids back inside during their break. This means you have to be vigilant and you may have to choose an alternate route while out for a walk/run/ride. Give plenty of space to ALL ELK (at least 30 metres or 3 bus lengths) and do not try to sneak past them on the trail! Male elk will be particularly protective of the female elk they are with and they may become aggressive towards anything that comes too close. Keep your pets on a leash and if an elk charges (usually because you are much too close), be prepared to use your bear spray. Try to move behind a large object (e.g. car, large tree) and keep the object between you and the elk. NEVER approach elk to take a picture.
Photo taken on Oct.20, 2020
This is no time to become complacent and everyone needs to remain vigilant and mentally prepared for possible encounters as bears and other wildlife are still very active in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country. Wildlife can be encountered anywhere at any time but here are some tips on how to reduce the risk of encounters:
All trail users, especially mountain bikers who travel quickly, need to be making LOTS of noise to alert bears that humans are around and to give the bears a chance to move away from the trail. Your voice is the best noise maker you have.
Stay on trails and out of closed areas, and avoid areas where active bear warnings are in place, or where bears have recently been seen.
Hike/bike/run in a group and stay close together keeping children close by, and try to avoid recreating at dusk, dawn or at night.
Be aware of your surroundings (look and listen for wildlife and their signs, including tracks and scat) and be sure to check behind you while on the trails to make sure there are no animals following you. That includes not wearing earbuds/headphones, which will limit your ability to hear approaching wildlife.
KEEP DOGS ON-LEASH and remember to pick up after your dogs as their feces can act as an attractant for bears.
Carry bear spray YEAR-ROUND in an easily accessible location, not in your backpack, know how to use it and be prepared to use it as it could save a life!
Hunting season continues so 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.
CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Click here for the complete list of all Alberta Parks warnings and closures in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country.
Click here for the complete list of all warnings and closures in Banff National Park.
Here is a list of some Annual Closures in Kananaskis Country.
Click here for current information from Alberta Parks about visiting their parks during COVID-19. Click here for current information from Parks Canada about visiting their parks during COVID-19.
For more information on areas in the Bow Valley frequented by bears at this time of year, visit our human-bear conflict summary map.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
This interesting interaction below between a grizzly bear and a wolf pack was caught on camera down in Yellowstone National Park! The bear is bigger and stronger but the wolves are faster, more agile and have numbers on their side. The wolves most likely are harassing the bear and trying to move it out of an area they don’t want it to be in, possibly due to the presence of a kill. All the animals walked away from this altercation but it is pretty neat to see how the two species interact with one another, almost in a sort of “ritualized” behaviour.
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