Bear Report - April 17, 2026

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BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (April 17, 2026)

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

Although there have not been many recent bear sightings, there have been several reports of people finding grizzly and black bear tracks and scat in the Bow Valley and in Kananaskis Country. Bears have started to emerge from their dens and until the snow melts at higher elevations, we will be sharing the valley bottoms with them so there is an increased chance of encountering wildlife. GPS collar data is showing that a few grizzly bears have emerged from their dens in K-Country and have slowly started to move about on the landscape.

At this time of the year, bears are emerging from their dens hungry, and are often found in the valley bottoms looking for food. This can result in an increased chance of encounters with humans as we too spend most of our time in the valley bottoms! As such, all recreationists should always be expecting to encounter bears and mentally plan for this, which includes carrying bear spray and being prepared to use it. To help get prepared for possible encounters with bears, make sure you come to Bear Day on April 18 (read more below) - learn bear safety skills, how to use bear spray and much more!

You can expect sightings to increase over the next few weeks as the weather gets warmer, more people head out on the landscape and more bears emerge from their dens.

 

Fresh grizzly bear track near the West Bragg Creek Parking Lot on April 19, 2025.

 

BEAR DAY 2026!

Bear Day is on Saturday, April 18 from 9am-3pm at the Canmore Nordic Centre. To coincide with bears’ emergence from their winter dens, Alberta Parks and WildSmart are once again hosting Bear Day at Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park’s Day Lodge.

This event is a celebration and welcoming of bears back on the landscape for another year. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the bears in our area and to refresh your bear safety knowledge and skills so you are prepared for the upcoming season.

Indoor and outdoor activities include bear spray demonstrations, bear safety talks, a bear trapping demonstration, bear awareness hikes (registration required), bear aversive conditioning presentation, Stoney Nakoda Grizzly Kananaskis Study Presentation, kids’ bear storytimes, kids area with make your own bear scat activities, and bear-related booths and displays.

In attendance to chat with you about all things bears will be Alberta Parks Ecologists, Park Rangers and Interpretation staff, Conservation Officers, Fish and Wildlife Officers, Parks Canada Public Outreach, Town of Canmore, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors, Keep Wildlife Alive Ambassadors, Bear Monitoring and Aversive Conditioning Volunteers and Stoney Tribal Administration.

This is a FREE family-friendly event! Activities begin at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. In the event of inclement weather, the majority of activities will take place indoors.

Related Article: WildSmart was on Global TV Calgary this week to talk about Bear Day!

Bear Day Schedule and Event Info
 
 

SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND

Our Concerns Regarding the Proposed Silvertip Gondola

Is there an environmental case against the proposed Silvertip gondola? We’ve put our heads together with other environmental organizations – and the answer is Yes! Visit this link to get informed and learn what you can do. Don’t forget to provide your feedback to the province by completeing their Land use designation questionnaire by May 14.

 
 

Get involved: People, Places, and Pathways in Canmore. 

The Town of Canmore is modernizing some of their long-range plans that shape how people travel, play, and build. Over the next year, they will update three interconnected guiding documents: the Open Spaces and Trails Plan, the Integrated Transportation Plan, and our Land Use Bylaw. Together, they are calling this engagement ‘People, Places, and Pathways.’ Here’s how you can get involved:

Online Survey - Take the Town’s online surveys for a chance to win a $100 gift card to a local business of your choice – visit mycanmore.ca/peopleplacespathways

WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM

Wildlife Ambassador Derek is back to talk about why reporting bears in the Banff and Kananaskis areas is good for the bears. It helps with both public safety and bear population monitoring. Here's why it's a good idea to report sighting of bear TRACKS in the snow in April each year!

 
 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

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.  

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.

 
 

Bears will be emerging from their dens soon and we will all be sharing the valley bottoms for the next few months so there is an increased chance of encountering wildlife. Please help try to keep bears and other wildlife out of trouble by taking your bird feeders down and cleaning up the ground underneath! The Town of Canmore Community Standards Bylaw only allows bird feeders to be hung from December 1 to March 31. Click here for details.

Click here to read the full article Attract Backyard Birds, Not Backyard Bears from our friends at BearWise south of the border.

 
 

WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS

CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Biosphere Institute is hiring a Community Engagement Summer Intern that will support a variety of our programs and events throughout the summer in the beautiful Bow Valley! This will be a full-time position from May 11 - August 28, 2026 (flexible). The position will be based out of our office in Canmore. Click here for the full job description and eligibility requirements! If you are interested in applying for this opportunity please email a resume and cover letter to resource@biosphereinstitute.org by 11:59pm on Wed. April 29, 2026.

 
 

AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS

This Earth Month, we are inviting you to be part of something bigger. The Bow Valley inspires incredible adventures from hiking and skiing to unforgettable wildlife encounters. It’s a place we all care deeply about, and one that needs ongoing protection.

We’re inviting you to join the Summit Club, our community of monthly donors supporting environmental action in the Bow Valley year round, from human-wildlife coexistence and local climate action to youth education and community led environmental projects.

Our goal is to welcome 30 new monthly donors. Even $5 per month, about the cost of a latte, makes a meaningful difference and provides steady support for this work.

By joining the Summit Club, you’re helping protect the landscapes, wildlife, and communities that make this place so special... not just on Earth Day, but every day.

Click here to join the Summit Club!

 
 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 
 

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

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