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BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (May 8, 2026)

(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)

There was a black bear seen feeding on grass in Harvie Heights this week and grizzly bears continue to be seen regularly feeding along Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country. Although a few collared grizzly bears (mothers with their cubs) are in and near their dens, most black and grizzly bears have emerged from their dens hungry, and are in the valley bottoms looking for food.

When using the trails, people should be thinking about bears and expecting encounters so that they are mentally prepared to properly handle those encounters. There were two close encounters with bears involving bluff charges this week resulting in two warnings and one closure to be put in place in K-Country (see Warnings and Closures section below). Make lots of noise to alert bears to your presence, travel in a group keeping kids close by, keep pets on a leash and carry bear spray in an accessible location and know how to use it! If you see a bear on a trail, do not try to sneak past it. Wait until it leaves or find another way around and have your bear spray ready.

Females with cubs will continue emerging from their dens in the coming weeks and they will be very protective of their young. It is very important to give these new mothers and their young, and ALL wildlife, lots of space, at least 100 metres (which is 10 school bus lengths)!

IMPORTANT: Bears can and will be encountered on busy trails. If a bear is walking down the trail towards you (and if safe to do so), simply try moving off of the trail to let them pass. If the bear continues past, you were just in the way. If the bear turns to follow you, there is more going on and you should have your bear spray out and be ready to spray the bear.

DRIVE CAREFULY AND DON’T CREATE BEAR JAMS: The ditches along the highways have started greening up which is drawing bears roadside looking for that green grass and dandelions! Remember to obey speed limits and slow down if you see wildlife by the road, but please do not stop to view wildlife. Always remain in your vehicle and stay at least 100m away. Remember to obey all “No Stopping Signs” and if you see one animal be prepared to see more and adjust your speed accordingly.

Many elk have recently been seen feeding roadside along the highways and roads in and around Canmore. This has the potential to be very dangerous as they might try to cross the road at any moment. Other wildlife such as coyotes, deer, and sheep are also feeding roadside right now so extra caution is needed. We see a high mortality rate of wildlife from vehicles in the Bow Valley, especially in spring when the likelihood of encountering wildlife on or close to the road is increased. Travel safely and help protect our wildlife (and yourselves) by slowing down, especially during dawn, dusk and night. The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists.

Slow down when passing wildlife feeding roadside, such as this elk.

ELK: Numerous elk continue to be seen in and around Canmore and with elk calving season starting any day now, people are reminded never to approach elk for any reason! Mother elk can become very protective of their calves, aggressively kicking or charging if they feel threatened. The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away - which is three school bus lengths, and NEVER try to sneak past them!

VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES

Bear Closure: Tryst Lake Parking Area due to a bear that bluff charged a pedestrian on the Mount Shark Road.

Bear Warning: Mt. Shark Road and Mt. Engadine Lodge due to a bear that bluff charged a pedestrian on the Mount Shark Road.

Bear Warning: Sunburst Trail, Stoney Trail, Troll Falls Trail, and Surrounding area and trails due to a grizzly bear that bluff charged a hiker and got within 4 feet of the hiker on May 4, 2026.

SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND

Last week, we asked if you have checked to see if your bear spray is expired. If you checked and your bear spray is expired, you can drop it off in Canmore at the designated bear spray bin (pictured here) at the new Firehall on Palliser Trail! Remember to carry bear spray year-round in an easily accessible location, know how to use it and be prepared to use it. Bear spray should be carried while walking on well-travelled trails, including the trails in and around town. If you need to refresh your memory on the proper use of bear spray, we have an excellent video with subtitles on our website here.

WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM

Birds, water, and was that rustling in the bushes? Did you hear the warning, or were you tuned into your music? Leave your earbuds at home and always be aware of your surroundings! Wildlife Ambassador Karen reminds us to pay attention to the sounds of nature.

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. Note: their locations may change at the last minute. May 9 - Barrier Lake Dam in K-Country.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

Bears are especially hungry at this time of year and always searching for food so please do not draw them into residential areas, picnic areas or campsites by providing them with any sort of a meal. Keep them moving along by ensuring your yards and campsites are free of attractants such as food, garbage, recycling, pet food, greasy bbqs and bird feeders. For those who are not aware, the Town of Canmore has a Community Standards Bylaw, and residents can be fined for having Wildlife Attractants (such as garbage and bird feeders) that are accessible to wildlife in their yards.

Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Program - Fruit trees may seem harmless, but they are a leading cause of human-wildlife conflict. In fact, accessing fruit trees is the number one reason why bears in the Bow Valley are relocated or killed. We are making Canmore safer for people and wildlife by reducing financial barriers to remove and replace fruit trees.

Thanks to the generous support from the G7, we’re continuing our partnership with the Town of Canmore this year to offer the Fruit Tree Replacement Incentive using the remaining funds from the 2025 allotment. The replacement incentive is run concurrently with the Fruit Tree Removal Incentive to encourage residents to remove and replace fruit-bearing vegetation from their properties, an important action to ensure that wildlife is kept wild in the Bow Valley. Click here to learn more or apply for the incentive! Applications are now open while funds are available.

WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS

Second hiker bluff charged by bear in Kananaskis Country this week.
Hiker charged by grizzly bear near popular trail in Kananaskis Country.
Increased bear activity reported, drivers urged to stay alert.
Bear attacks 2 hikers at Yellowstone National Park.
Incredible footage of cougar kittens confirms a historic first for Minnesota.
Colorado wildlife officials explain the most dangerous mistake hikers make.
Trail camera films exceedingly rare jaguar encounter in southern Arizona.
Bear aware: Elk Island National Park educating tourists on black bear sightings.
Push to bring grizzly bears back to California faces backlash.
Suspected cougar sightings in Nova Scotia cause dispute between province and biologists.
Fat Bear Week champion Chunk spotted taking a stroll in Alaska.

AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS

Happy Mother’s Day!

We know we have shared this video with you before, but in honour of upcoming Mother’s Day and all the amazing mothers out there, hopefully this video puts a smile on your face and makes you think about how hard it is for mother bears to keep themselves and their cubs safe in this dangerous world. This video does an excellent job of vocalizing what it can be like to be a parent, specifically a mother. It is hard work taking care of four cubs for a mother bear and if you add to that cars speeding and people stopping to take pictures and stressing them out, it makes it even harder. It is pawsitive to see these cars waiting patiently while she struggles to get her cubs across safely!

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 4-10 - Wings Over the Rockies Nature Festival.
May 11 - Queer as Bighorn: Textile Art Workshop (2SLGBTQIA+ participants only) Click here to register.
May 25 - Earth Talks - Energy Transition in Alberta: Like Pushing Oil Uphill with local conservationist, writer, and photographer Stephen Legault (7-8pm, Friends Program Room, Canmore Public Library) - Click here to register for free
May 26 - Online Bear Aware: Bear Safety Session with the Town of Banff and Parks Canada (7:00-8:15pm Online). Learn how to be safe in bear country, how to identify different types of bears, common bear behaviours and tools and tips to prevent bear encounters - Click here to register for free

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

Bear Report - May 8, 2026