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BEAR ACTIVITY SUMMARY FOR THE BOW VALLEY
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park) For the period: November 6 to November 13, 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.
Welcome to the last weekly bear report of 2020!
SUMMARY
There have been no recent bear sightings reported in the Bow Valley and GPS data is showing that collared grizzly bears in Kananaskis Country have either gone into their dens or are staying very close to their den site. As such, this will be the last weekly bear report for the season.
Black bear den site. Photo by Pat Kamenka
An inside look at modern hibernation!
That being said, it is not the time to be complacent on the trails as there are likely still some male grizzly bears out looking for some last minute calories before heading into their dens, as well as many other species that remain active on the landscape throughout the winter. You should always be mentally prepared for possible encounters with wildlife as they can be encountered anywhere at anytime. There have been recent wolf sightings in the Bow Valley and along Highway 40, as well as a some cougar sightings around Canmore and in the Bow Valley. To reduce the risk of encounters with wildlife:
Make lots of noise in order to alert them to your presence and avoid recreating at dusk, dawn or at night which is when wildlife is most active.
Hike/bike/run/ski in a group and keep children close by.
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 as it could save your life, your dog’s life and a bear’s life! Also remember to pick up after your dogs as their feces can act as an attractant for wildlife.
Carry bear spray YEAR-ROUND in an easily accessible location (not in your backpack), know how to use it and use it if required. It is also effective against wildlife which are active year-round such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk.
Cougar
Coyotes. Photo courtesy of Amar Athwal
Elk rutting season is wrapping up but elk continue to be seen all throughout town which means you have to be alert 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! 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.
During hunting season please be aware of your surroundings and stay clear of dead animals. Hunters should always carry and use bear spray as the first line of defence, even if they are carrying a gun.
We will continue to use this mailing list to send out any significant updates on wildlife activity as necessary, as well as WildSmart News and Events. Also keep an eye on our website, Facebook page and Instagram for updates on Bow Valley wildlife and educational resources throughout the winter. We look forward to starting the weekly bear reports again in the spring of 2021!
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
Parks Canada put a closure in place in Banff National Park to give a female grizzly bear the best chance of getting through the winter and hopefully emerging in the spring with cubs!
To help keep wildlife safe, Parks Canada has put out some simple guidelines to follow when hanging your Christmas lights! Some examples include holding off on putting up lights until after Nov.30 and hanging lights at least 10 feet off the ground.
A recent study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management, examined the effects of temperature, wind, canister age, and repeated use on bear spray performance. The main takeaway: bear spray is an important and effective deterrence tool in all areas where bears occur, even if it is windy or cold!
Specifically, they tested bear spray in temperatures ranging from -23C to +25 C. In all cases they achieved a spray distance of four meters or more. Even when used in the highest winds, coming directly towards the nozzle, the spray still reached 2 meters (the average distance of spray deployment in real incidents). When looking at repeated use, or test firing of bear spray, they found that approximately 50% of canister head pressure is lost during the first 1 second of spray use or greater. Finally, when examining the effect of time, the canisters lost about 1 gram of propellant for every year of age, supporting manufacturers' 4-year expiration dates. Based on the results of this paper, they recommend these guidelines:
Do not test‐fire cans intended for use in the field
Keep canisters warm when in the cold, tucking them inside a parka or sleeping bag
Retire canisters of bear spray when they are expired.
Source: Smith, T.S., Wilder, J.M., York, G., Obbard, M.E. and Billings, B.W. (2020), An Investigation of Factors Influencing Bear Spray Performance. Journal of Wildlife Management. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21958
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